Echoes in my Mind
by AmberLS123
Summary: Sequel to "Echoes in the Night."
1. Prologue

**Echoes in my Mind**

**by AmberLS123  
**

Prologue

Smoke from the long cigarette in his gloved hand curled about his head as he gazed out the stained glass window, watching the lightning zigzag through the night sky. It was an awing sight, seeing the bolts of electricity shooting between the clouds and down to the ground. It was as if the elements themselves shared his foul mood.

"P-Professor?"

The rat… or large mouse, as he viewed himself… gritted his teeth in agitation as that bat's gruff voice grated on his nerves. "What is it, Fidget?" he asked, rubbing his temple with a white gloved hand as he felt a migraine coming on.

"Th-there's someone wants ta see ya…"

"Who is it and what do they want?" he demanded.

"I dunno who it is," the bat shrugged. "'E's a grey mouse with fancy black clothes a-an' sorta red colored eyes… kinda spooky looking," he added with a shudder. "Said it was really important. Somethin' about a business prop… uh, propa…" Fidget scratched his head in thought, as he was not used to using such large words.

"Tell them I'm very busy and cannot be disturbed," he interrupted irately.

"B-But Boss, he talked about Basil…"

He turned and glared at his henchman, who gulped nervously and shrank back as those yellow eyes bored into him. "What about him?" he growled.

"S-Somethin' about helping you defeat him," Fidget stammered. "A-And get the girl back."

He took a moment to consider. "Send him in," he instructed, making up his mind.

"Right away, Boss!" Fidget replied, his peg leg clicking against the stone floor as he hobbled away.

The Professor sighed wearily as he made his way across the room and sat on his throne, wincing from the slight pains still left in his body. It had been several weeks since that incident, but he was still recovering from that fall down a rocky slope outside his castle as he chased after his escaped prisoners.

Those memories were the source of his foul mood, and as they were stirred up anew, he gripped the arm of his chair in anger. He had been close, _so close_, to finally destroying his enemy, Basil of Baker Street. The Great Mouse Detective had been a thorn in his side far too long, and it seemed that at long last, he had found his weakness… his feelings for a young woman named Amber. The Professor had captured Basil and tricked her into agreeing to work for him by promising that no further harm would come upon her friend if she did so, yet had still kept Basil captive as a way to make sure that she would not disobey him. He had two motives for this; mainly, it was a means of torturing Basil with the knowledge that the one he loved was in the very employee of his arch enemy. Also, he had observed the girl for some time, and realized that if she were as loyal to him as she was to Basil, she would be of great use to him. All had been going according to plan. He had Basil in his clutches, and planned to make the girl his queen…

Yet that blasted detective had _somehow_ managed to escape from his dungeon, and he and the girl both slipped right through his fingers. He had hoped that because of their own injuries, they wouldn't have gotten very far away, but his guards scoured the woods for days and found no sign of them.

What alarmed him most was that he couldn't seem to get her out of his mind. She was a very lovely girl, the round chocolate brown eyes and short brown curls framing her face combined with her short stature making her seem almost fragile. Yet she had proven to be quite the opposite, as he recalled her bashing his head with a candlestick as she tried to escape. It had made him furious at the time, but he had to admit, she was brave, and he had underestimated her. At first, he had viewed her as nothing more than a pawn to use against his arch foe. Basil was not a mouse prone to feelings; therefore, if this girl was able to affect _him_ so, she must be something special indeed. And the more he thought about her, the more he wanted her for his own.

And he had, for a brief time. Though she was timid and fearful at first, she seemed to grow a little at ease, and actually carried on a descent conversation with him, which was more than most would do. He was used to people shrinking away from him, and actually preferred it that way, enjoying that he instilled fear into them. Miss Amber had been afraid as well, but she had listened as he revealed small tidbits of his past, and seemed genuinely interested. And for a moment, he thought he sensed that she could have even felt sympathy toward him… something that very few had ever shown to the likes of a creature of his species. He felt a very small twinge of guilt when he considered what he had done to hurt her, how cruel he had been. It was short-lived, however. He had to keep reminding himself that she was only a tool, one of many in his vast organization. He could not afford to dwell on such things as love. He had given up on that long ago.

He frowned at these unwelcome thoughts and attempted to distract himself by letting his mind drift back to this strange visitor. It actually caused him to become more angry and irritated. Who was he to get involved with his foe? He had been engaged in a war with the detective for years, and though there were several instances where he _almost_ won, he had yet to defeat him for good. How could this stranger help him and what business was it of his to get involved?

The answer would be revealed soon enough, as the doors swung open and the visitor entered the room. His first impression was one of caution. Something about this mouse, whose dark demeanor and cunning eyes spoke of evil, instantly put the Professor on his guard. As for his physical appearance, he was very tall for a mouse, slightly taller than Basil, with gray fur and a small mustache. He obviously shared Ratigan's taste for finery, as he was dressed in an expensive black suit and cloak, and carried a walking stick engraved with gold.

"My sincere apologies for disturbing you, Professor," the stranger said in a thick accent as he bowed and removed his hat, exposing long raven black hair which was pulled back and tied at the back of his neck with a black ribbon. "But it is an urgent matter which brings me here."

Ratigan regarded the newcomer with extreme caution, though he smiled congenially. "It's quite alright, my good sir. I am a busy mouse, but I can spare a little of my time. My informants tell me that you wish to aid me in defeating my mortal enemy."

"Yes, that is correct," the mouse replied with a smile, exposing white teeth.

"Forgive me if I seem rude, but what would possess you to make such a journey to offer aid to a stranger?"

"Oh, but you're not _entirely_ a stranger," the mouse stated. "I too, have my informants, and they have told me of you…Professor Padraic Ratigan, the Napoleon of Crime, the world's greatest criminal mind." Ratigan couldn't help smiling at that. It seemed his fame had spread even further than he imagined. "Though I know little about you and we have only just met," the mouse continued, "it is plain to see that, like myself, you possess a great deal of darkness inside you." The mouse paused, as if waiting to see if the Professor was interested.

Although his suspicion was growing, Ratigan was also a little curious, and decided to hear what the mouse had to offer. "I'm listening," he said, indicating a chair nearby.

The mouse smiled in thanks as he placed his cane against the arm of the chair and took a seat. He leaned forward and touched his fingertips together, his unnerving red eyes flashing. "My name is Fane cel Rau… and I have a business proposition for you…"

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, here it is... the sequel to "Echoes in the Night" I simply couldn't wait, as I've had this idea in mind for a while now.**

**So, this does take place just a short while after "Echoes 1." Here we see what Ratigan's been up to, which is basically sulking XD Also, I'm very excited to introduce Fane cel Rau, who's name means "Stefan the evil" in Romanian (gives you some insight into his personality...) I am so excited to develop this character further, I can already tell he's going to be fun to write about. The only thing is I'm afraid he's going to take the spotlight from Ratigan... but I'll try my best to not let one get more attention than the other haha.  
**

**Hmm... wonder what exactly he's proposing to help Ratigan? Does he really just want to help a fellow criminal, or is there some ulterior motive behind it? Whatever the case, it's sure to be trouble for Amber and Basil...**

**One other note: since "chapter 1" is actually a prologue, the other chapters will be off by one... sorry for any confusion ^^;**

**Some music to set the mood: watch?v=z60sjLXG4N4&feature=BFa&list=PL533B70385AAD2F0F&shuffle=302548  
**


	2. Ch 1: Comfort

Chapter 1: Comfort

"N-No, please… s-stay away…! _N-NOOO_!"

I shot straight up in my bed, wakened by what I realized was my own screams. Dazed and disoriented from sleep, I couldn't remember where I was at first. However, I was suddenly aware of something wrapped around me. With the nightmare so fresh in my mind, and not even sure if I was still dreaming or was awake, I began to panic and struggled to get away; yet I was held firmly, but gently, in place as a voice whispered softly in my ear.

"Shh… it's ok, Amber… You're safe… Everything is alright…"

I instantly clung to the figure tightly, relieved to hear his voice and feel him beside me. "B-Basil," I whispered breathlessly, burying my face into his shirt. "I-It's the nightmares again…"

"I know, darling, I know," he said quietly, pulling me closer and wrapping his arms tighter around me, trying to comfort me. "It sounded bad. I heard you screaming my name, and I… I-I thought…" he trailed off, but I knew that he had been afraid that I was in danger.

"It was horrible," I said with a shudder, recalling the nightmare. "W-we were running from… from Ratigan… a-and he… he killed you…!" I couldn't go on any further, trembling in fear. The dream had been so vivid, with Basil's lifeless form in my arms as that rat loomed out of the darkness, cackling manically as he came closer and closer…

"I'm so sorry," Basil said with a hint of pain in his voice, kissing the top of my head softly as he gently rocked me back and forth. "It's alright now. I'm here, I'm here…"

Gradually, my heart rate began to slow back down to normal, and I wiped my eyes on the sleeve of my nightgown, frustrated and a little embarrassed to find that I had been crying. The whole situation was embarrassing really; I felt like a child who was afraid of bad dreams, and this wasn't the first time it had happened. At least tonight I hadn't woken the others, though maybe I had and they just let Basil come in to take care of me this time.

"I'm so sorry I woke you," I said a little guiltily.

"It's quite alright," Basil insisted. "No need to apologize. I've been awake for a while anyway."

"You're still having nightmares too?" I asked concernedly, knowing that he had been suffering from them as well.

"Sometimes," he admitted, letting out a tired sigh. "But tonight, I can't even sleep."

I nodded in understanding, knowing the feeling all too well. Even though it all had happened several months ago, sometimes we couldn't escape the memories of what we went through. Being kidnapped by Basil's arch enemy, the nefarious Professor Ratigan; separated from each other so much; seeing Basil in such pain from when Ratigan attacked him; me being forced to join Ratigan's criminal organization so that Basil would be safe; finally escaping the rat's clutches only to be corned again; the terrible fight and the fall down that rocky slope; stumbling through the woods and collapsing in exhaustion and pain from our injuries, afraid that we were going to die… And though Ratigan was lying unconscious in a pile of rubble when we last saw him, if he could survive falling from Big Ben, then he had most certainly survived this. Which meant he could be plotting his revenge at this very moment. And the thought that all that could happen again terrified me.

"I'm so afraid he's going to come back…" I whispered, speaking my fears aloud.

"I am too," Basil replied after a moment, which surprised me a little. I had never known him to be afraid of anything; yet I knew that it was fear for my own safety, just as I felt for his. "But it has been nearly six months since that happened," Basil added quickly. "Surely if he were seeking revenge, he would have done so by now."

Very true. He had been injured pretty bad himself from that fall, and could still be recovering. Then again, he could be just dragging it out to torture us more.

"But it will be alright," Basil continued, stroking my hair gently, still trying to console me, though I couldn't help wondering if he was trying to convince himself also. "Don't let those thoughts torture you so. You know," he added with a small chuckle, "his ears are probably still ringing from you shrieking in his face."

"Yeah, poor thing," I laughed quietly, recalling how I had screamed at the top of my lungs to throw him off guard so that I might have a chance to escape. It was a great relief to share a laugh together. Being separated had made me realize how precious the moments together like this were, and I cherished them dearly. Feeling immensely grateful for his efforts in trying to make me feel better, I reached up to cup his face in my hands, then kissed him tenderly. "Thank you," I whispered.

"You're very welcome, darling," he replied with a smile, his emerald green eyes twinkling in the dim light. "Go back to sleep," he urged, pulling the covers up around me. "I'll be right here."

I nodded again and settled down beside him, leaning my head against his shoulder as he reclined with his back against the headboard. He softly began humming a tune I had heard him play on the violin at times, and I began to relax. Just to know that he was there, safe and sound, was enough to put me at ease, and though those doubts and fears still lingered, I pushed them to the back of my mind. There was nowhere else in the world that I felt more at peace, more at home, than right there in his arms. My eyelids grew heavier, and soon I drifted off to sleep.

…...

I glanced down as Amber stirred in her sleep, listening to the soft sound of her breathing. I lay quite still, not wanting to awaken her when she was finally able to sleep peacefully. Poor girl. I knew firsthand the effects that such a traumatic event could have on a person, and I hated to see her still suffering from those memories of being held captive at Ratigan's castle.

Just thinking of that rat made my blood boil. It was one thing for him to take out his revenge on me. We had been mortal enemies for over a decade, after all. But to drag those I loved into it…

It wasn't that I regretted meeting her. On the contrary, her arrival had been one of the greatest things to happen to me. However, I feared for the danger she was in because of me. She had insisted that it was in no way my fault, but I couldn't help feeling that it was. Anyone who associated with me was instantly at risk, and in my line of work, there were countless enemies that wouldn't think twice about harming them. That was why I rarely allowed anyone to get close to me.

When it comes to things of an emotional nature, I admit I am out of my depth, as I prefer to rely on logic and reason so that my judgment isn't clouded by feelings. I'd experienced anger towards those who committed such atrocious crimes, sadness and depression whenever I failed, excitement when hot on the scent of a clue, pride and happiness when the mystery was brought to a conclusion and the culprits brought to justice. However, any feelings of romance were foreign to me. Yes, I loved my family, my brother Byron and sister Bryna, and my niece and nephew; Mrs. Judson and the Flaversham's, who had become a kind of extended family to me; and Dawson, my best friend and most reliable colleague, who had stayed by my side all these years.

But… but it was different with Amber. I didn't fully understand the feelings stirring in my chest when I thought of her, or when she was near. After some time of getting to know her, I finally took the plunge and asked her permission to court her, and to my immense relief, she obliged. It had created quite a stir in the community, as I was somewhat of a celebrity because of my success and it was strange to now see a beautiful young lady in the company of a sociopath like myself. But I ignored the whispers and gossip. The time spent with her was priceless.

Then when we were captured by Ratigan several months ago, I was forced to confront my feelings for her. Ratigan had apparently been observing us, and he used those feelings against me. And it worked for a time; being separated from her was more torture than the physical wounds I suffered at the hands of that rat. Then when she made that deal with him to ensure my safety, it left no doubt in my mind that she cared just as much for me.

Like Amber, thoughts of Ratigan's revenge plagued my dreams… as well as my waking thoughts. Though I had done my best to assure her otherwise, I feared that he would retaliate soon, and there was no limit to what he might do for revenge. I hated to think of what might happen to her. So long as he lived, his shadow would forever loom over my life; and now it fell across her as well.

I was brought out of these thoughts when Amber whimpered softly, and her arms tightened around my waist. "Shh," I whispered, afraid that she was caught in the grip of another nightmare. I stroked her back gently in a petting motion to calm her. Thankfully, this seemed to help, and she sighed quietly and nestled closer to me. I kissed her forehead softly, and as she lay there in my arms, I felt infinitely better knowing that she was safe… for now. With these fears briefly laid to rest, my own eyelids began to grow heavy, and I too drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Chapter 1 at last! Kinda short really, just Amber and Basil still struggling with the trauma of what happened in "Echoes in the Night." I know Basil seems very out of character, but since this side of him wasn't really shown in the movie, I took some liberties with it. This is fanfiction after all, so I can do what I want! Next chapter he'll have an actual mystery to solve, so at least then he'll (hopefully) seem more like the version we know from the movie. **

**I went ahead and added Basil's POV as well. Thank you to everyone on deviantARTfor suggesting that. Eh, he's a bit more difficult to write, and I'm still afraid I've made him too OOC. But oh well. Hope you like it!**


	3. Ch 2: A New Terror

Echoes in my Mind

Chapter 2: A New Terror

The days continued to pass, the nightmares were still present, but thankfully they grew less frequent. I had stopped screaming so much, and Basil had only had to come in once to calm me down since that last time.

Basil had Immediately informed Scotland Yard about all that had happened to us at Ratigan's hideout, warning them that the Napoleon of Crime was indeed alive, and convinced them to search the woods where we'd been found. But no trace was ever found, even when Basil was recovered from his wounds enough to go with them. Since then, he had been very frustrated with the whole thing, and sometimes sank into one of those dark depressions as he thought of himself as a failure for not being able to locate Ratigan's lair.

Here lately, Basil began to grow more and more restless, and I worried more about his health as the circles beneath his eyes grew darker. He wasn't getting enough sleep, and he was going insane with boredom. He tried to distract himself by playing the violin, filling the flat with a sad, melancholy tune. It had been weeks since his last case, and since Scotland Yard had given up the search for Ratigan, he was quickly falling into one of his depressions. I tried to help by assisting him with a chemistry experiment, taking walks with him, asking about his past cases. However, most of the time, he didn't seem to be in a very talkative mood, which was completely understandable, and we just stayed together, feeling grateful for the other's company.

But one day, as the familiar three brief knocks sounded upon the front door, Basil practically leaped from his chair to open it, nearly wringing Inspector Thomas Grayson's hand off as he shook it enthusiastically. Just as Basil hoped, the Inspector had come for his help, and Basil already had on his Inverness coat and deerstalker hat before Grayson could finish his sentence. The Inspector stared with his eyebrows raised as Basil rushed out the door exclaiming, "Let's go! Not a moment to lose!"

"Thank goodness you came when you did, Inspector," Dawson chuckled. "He was beginning to drive _us_ insane."

"We'd better go after him before he causes any mischief!" I said with a laugh, and the three of us headed out to catch up with him.

I had started going on cases with Basil when his Dr. Dawson was occupied running his medical practice. I felt a little useless at first, as if I was merely an observer as Basil examined clues and tracked down criminals. But Basil loved having an audience, and actually took the time to educate Dawson and I on the methods of deduction. The good doctor had been a colleague of Basil's for several years now, and so had much more experience than me. But as time went on and I joined them more often in their investigations, I learned a lot from the famous detective, and my own powers began to improve.

Yet as I accompanied Basil and Dr. Dawson to the crime scene… I almost wished I hadn't. The victim was a young woman who had been found dead in an alleyway in Hampstead. Not an uncommon occurrence in itself unfortunately; but it was the method in which she was killed that had the police so perplexed. The poor girl lay flat on her back, her long golden hair spread out on the ground beneath her, head rolled to one side. There were no signs of a struggle, and it almost seemed like her killer had casually laid her on the ground, and her eyes were closed as if she were merely sleeping. Dr. Dawson stooped down to examine the body, finding that there were two tiny punctures on her neck with a small bloodstain around them. The doctor then made a startling discovery that shocked every mouse present.

The young woman's body had been entirely drained of blood.

One of the officers present at the scene whispered the word that was on everyone's mind: _vampire_. Everyone, that is, except Basil, who laughed heartily at the comment and dismissed it as "Rubbish, absolute poppycock!" I felt a little silly myself for entertaining such ridiculous thoughts. Yet with the grim circumstances surrounding the girl's death, it was painfully clear that we were not dealing with an ordinary criminal.

Basil got to work right away examining the body and the surrounding area in the alley. It was always fascinating to watch him investigating, magnifying glass in hand as he bent forward, sometimes with his nose almost touching the ground like a bloodhound hot on the scent, his sharp eyes never missing a single detail. He analyzed and explained every clue to us as if addressing students in a classroom, and seemed to have an explanation for everything…

Except the absence of blood.

"She could have been killed somewhere else and then dumped here," Chief Inspector Grayson pointed out.

"No, no, no, you're missing everything of importance!" Basil scolded in annoyance. "You've nearly destroyed the evidence by tromping through like a herd of elephants, but these are clearly the victim's footprints here, here, and here."

"Well what of the murderer's prints?" Grayson asked irately.

"Approximately sixteen centimeters tall, size nine shoes, expensive, handmade…" Basil pointed to a series of muddy footprints on the ground. "He didn't sneak up on her, or else only a small part of the shoe would be visible from where he had been tiptoeing. No, he approached her in plain sight. He stood here in one place, smoking…" Basil scooped up the ash from the ground and sniffed it. He could identify almost any type of tobacco ash, but this time he shook his head sadly. "I don't recognize this… definitely from a foreign country, but from which I'm not sure. Anyway, from the nature of the footprints- or at least the ones that haven't been destroyed-" he added, shooting a glance at the Inspector, who huffed impatiently, "he apparently stood talking with this woman for some time…and then killed her."

"But how?" Grayson exclaimed. "Where is the blood?"

For the first time since I'd known him, Basil seemed at a loss. "Not sure," he mumbled quietly, his brows drawn together in concentration as he gazed down at the girl's neck.

He then advised the Inspector to find out all he could about the victim; her family, her friends. It was very possible that she could have even known her killer. But as Basil often states, it's a bad mistake to begin spinning theories before you have all the facts. With nothing more to be gained, the three of us headed back to Baker Street, where Basil stayed up all night trying to pierce the dark veil of mystery that shrouded this young woman's horrible death.

Over the next few weeks, several citizens of Mousedom were brutally murdered. At first, they appeared to be random killlings; but now, with twenty one victims viscously claimed so far, it appeared that we had a serial killer on our hands. Not only that, but several more had simply vanished without a trace. Scotland Yard was investigating the crimes to the best of their abilities, but as always they needed the help of the Great Mouse Detective.

All the victims were mice of different classes, genders, ages… the ones who were murdered were each drained of blood and baring only those two tiny marks on their neck, and those who were missing seemed to just disappear out of thin air. And each of the crimes took place at late evening, night, or early morning. Mousedom was seized with terror, every citizen afraid that _they_ might become the next victim.

Basil certainly had his work cut out for him, and he spent every second doing all he could to catch the villain. Dawson and I did our best to help, marking each spot on the map of London to see if we could find a pattern in the villain's movements. But so far, no luck. Every clue we found lead to a dead end.

As I lay in bed one night, I tossed and turned under the covers, unable to sleep as images of the grisly crimes swirled about in my head. I racked my brain for a solution, anything that might help us to solve them, but could come up with nothing but speculation and wild theories about the creatures of the night. Though I had read horror novels before, I never believed in vampires. They were works of fiction. Yet with the nature of the crimes, it seemed that someone was at least trying to impersonate a vampire. With these thoughts on my mind, my eyelids grew too heavy to keep open, and sleep came over me at last.

But soon I found myself trapped in another nightmare. I dreamt I was still in my bed when suddenly a strange, white mist came in through the window. I pulled the covers up around me, shivers going down my spine as the mist filled my room. I shook in fear as the mist began to take shape until a tall black shadow stood at the foot of my bed. I was petrified with terror as I looked up into those yellow eyes, now tinged with red. My heart nearly stopped as he smiled, showing white, sharp teeth with unusually long canines.

_Ratigan_.

I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound would come out. Petrified with fear, I could only look up in terror as Ratigan glided to my side. He sat on the edge of the bed and took my face in both his hands. He smiled again, showing those sharp teeth, and I shivered as he leaned toward me. I thought he was going to kiss me, but instead he leaned my head back, and suddenly I felt his sharp fangs piercing my neck…

And he began to drink my blood.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hopefully Basil's a little more in character now that he has a mystery to solve =)**

**So we have these people who keep disappearing or being murdered, and everyone (except Basil) automatically thinks _ vampire_. I know what you're thinking: "A vampire in the GMD universe? Really?" But that could just be the culprit's plan to throw everyone off and to scare everyone... but then again, who knows? Maybe it really is a vampire...**

**And Amber's still having bad dreams. Stuff that's happening in your everyday life can certainly have an effect on your dreams, and such is the case with poor Amber. Just think if Ratigan really WAS a vampire...**

**At least it was only a dream... or was it?**

**EDIT: Fixed spelling/grammar errors  
**


	4. Ch 3: Visitor

Echoes in My Mind

Chapter 3: Visitor

Ratigan continued to plague my dreams as the investigation continued. They didn't occur every day, but they were frequent, and almost exactly the same every time, with Ratigan stealing into my room in the dead of night and feasting on my blood. I knew it was only my weary mind conjuring up these images because of the horrors of the recent murders, and I was too embarrassed to tell anyone, especially Basil. He had more than enough on his plate already, and I didn't want to distract him from the case at hand.

On top of things, I began to grow ill, suffering from flu-like symptoms. My strength seemed to be drained from me, I could hardly eat without getting sick, and my very bones ached. I had grown so weak that Dr. Dawson put me on bed rest for a while, and I was unable to accompany him and Basil on their investigations. Basil was very concerned, but I managed a small smile and assured him that I would be fit as a fiddle in no time, and urged him not to worry so that he could focus on his investigation.

However, the murders and kidnappings continued, filling everyone with fear and horror. Basil was doing all he could; interviewing families of the victims, investigating each crime scene with meticulous care, researching and performing experiments to try to find a method in which the blood could have been drained from the murder victims. But nothing seemed to work.

Sometimes Basil would lock himself in his room or sit staring at the fire for hours, lost deep in thought, trying to pierce the veil shrouding this mystery. He wouldn't rest until the monster was stopped, not even wasting time on food or sleep. The dark circles under his eyes grew more pronounced, and we could only convince him to eat a bite or two at a time of Mrs. Judson's cheese crumpets so that he didn't starve to death. He always devoted himself fully to the case, stopping at nothing until it was seen through to the end. But I was afraid such dedication would someday be the death of him.

…

_Confound it_! I thought, grinding my teeth in frustration as Dawson and I shifted through the litter of newspaper clippings and police reports on the floor around us, trying to find some clue, the tiniest detail, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to help in our fight against this villain. My blood boiled to think that this fiend who preyed upon the helpless and innocent still roamed free in the streets.

As a knock sounded on the door, Dawson's eyes met mine, and I could see from his expression that he expected the Inspector to come in with news of another crime. Yet it had been four quiet knocks, not the usual brisk three knocks characteristic to the Inspector, so I hastily rose up and opened the door to the visitor.

"Good evening, sir," said the stranger, a slight tipping his hat politely. "Is this the residence of Basil of Baker Street?"

"It is, and I am he," I replied with a nod. "How may be of service?"

"Actually, I was thinking that I might be of some service to you," the mouse replied. "My name is Alexander Janssen, and I have information regarding your latest case."

My ears pricked up at that statement, a thrill running through my body at the possibility of a fresh trail in the case, but I remained on my guard, especially as I eyed the gun by his side under his long tattered brown overcoat. I inclined my head and stepped aside cautiously, inviting him in. As Dawson arose to greet him, I took the opportunity to examine him more closely. He was an odd sight standing in the midst of our sitting room: tall, broad shoulders, athletic build, brown fur, a small mustache, messy dark brown hair sticking out from beneath his hat. He had been in fierce fight in the past judging from the three scars down the left side of his face and the jagged tears in both ears. Yet despite his rough appearance, he had a calm, soft spoken voice, and was very well mannered.

Janssen was just about to take the offered seat in Dawson's green chair when he stiffened suddenly, sniffing the air. "Is there a woman in this house?" he asked urgently.

I felt my blood run cold. Mrs. Judson was away visiting her sister, but Amber was upstairs in her room resting from her sickness. "Why?" I demanded, giving Dawson a warning glance.

"She is in terrible danger," Janssen whispered.

I nodded to Dawson, who quickly whipped out his service revolver from his pocket and pointed it at Janssen. The mouse held up his hands in defense. "No, no, no, it's not me… someone else is here!" he hissed.

"Dawson, keep him covered," I instructed, rushing to the side table drawer and retrieving another revolver. I cautiously ascended the stairs and crept down the hallway, pausing at Amber's room. I put my ear to the wood, but could hear nothing inside. I tried the handle, which to my horror was locked. Without hesitation, I took several steps back and used all my strength to kick the door in, causing it to slam open with a bang. I rushed inside, my gun raised, then froze in shock as my eyes fell upon the bed.

Her _empty_ bed.

Recovering from the initial shock, I rushed to the open window and could make out her bare footprints in the dirt. But before I could rush outside to examine them more closely, Dawson entered the room, keeping a tight grip on Janssen with his gun prodding the mouse's back, who was now relieved of his own weapon. "What in heaven's name…?" Dawson asked, taking in the scene.

"She's gone," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. The room seemed to spin and I leaned against the wall for support, running my hand through my hair. My heart pounding frantically, a cold dread taking hold of me as the realization hit that she had been taken from me… Again.

"The devil has taken another one," Janssen hissed in frustration.

"Who?" I growled in anger, springing on the mouse and pinning him to the wall. "Who has taken her?"

I felt Dawson's steadying hand on my shoulder. "If you know something," he said to Janssen, "I suggest you explain _now_."

Janssen nodded solemnly, and I released him, though my hand was still tight on my gun.

"Before I begin," said Janssen, "I want you both to promise to listen to me completely. What I am about to tell you will be difficult to hear, and in all likelihood, you will not believe me. But I ask that you'll allow me finish my entire statement, and then you may do as you see fit."

I glanced at Dawson, who shared my caution and skepticism. Yet with Amber missing, I knew that time was of the essence, and I was willing to at least hear what the mouse had to say if it could help her in any way.

Janssen took a deep breath and sighed wearily. "I'm afraid your friend has been taken by the most sinister and vile of creatures to ever walk upon the earth. Were there footprints outside the window?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Only one set?"

I took a candle from the nightstand and held it out the window to examine the ground. "Yes," I repeated. "Only hers."

"She wasn't dragged out?" Dawson asked. "Why on earth would she climb out the window?" Dawson asked.

"Because she had no control of her actions," Janssen answered.

Dawson and I looked to him in confusion. "What do you mean, that she was hypnotized?" Dawson asked.

"In a way, yes. That is the method in which he takes his victims. He spends time with them, becoming familiar with their mind, and when he has a sufficient hold on them, compels them to come to him. That way he does not leave any clues behind."

"How could he have spent time with her?" Dawson asked. "She has been ill for two weeks now, and has not left the house…"

I clutched my fists in anger. "No one could have been here without our knowledge…"

"But you must remember, gentleman, that this is no ordinary villain we are dealing with," said Janssen.

"Then what exactly _are_ we dealing with?" I demanded impatiently.

Janssen paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. However, nothing could have prepared me for his answer.

"_Nosferatu_."

My first reaction was one of utter astonishment. "I-I'm sorry, I'm not sure I heard you correctly…"

"_Nosferatu_," Janssen repeated. "The undead, the creatures of the night… _Vampire_."

When I managed to find my voice, I growled, "Get out."

"Mr. Basil, I beg you to reconsider-"

"_I said get out_."

"Basil," Dawson interjected gently, "he could help us-"

"And he could lead us on a wild goose chase after a creature of _fantasy_!" I shouted. "Amber is gone… _gone_, Dawson! I do _not_ have time for such games!"

Janssen waited patiently while I vented my frustrations. "I understand," he responded quietly at length. "I am a stranger to you, and the notion of such a creature's existence is a hard thing for you to believe. But you must trust me, gentleman. I know my word doesn't have much meaning to you right now, but I have seen the creatures with my own eyes." His face fell, and he buried his hands deep in his pockets. "T-They took Maria… my fiancé," he admitted quietly. "She and I were taking a walk through town. We were to be married within the week, and talked of our plans for the future… We lost track of time, and as it was growing dark, we took a shortcut through a cemetery. Countless times have I wished I could go back and change that decision, all in vain." He cleared his throat, doing his best to master his emotions. "Then we were attacked. The thing struck so swiftly and suddenly, we scarcely had time to react. The force knocked us both to the ground, and when I recovered I looked up to see Maria struggling in the grip of a male mouse, with gray fur and long black hair and dressed all in black. To my horror, he put his lips to her neck, and… and bit her. I sprang on the villain, and still bare the results of that fight," he said, indicating the scars on his face. "He seemed to have the strength of twenty mice, and I was clearly no match for him. He nearly destroyed me. But as I lay on the ground, he left, thinking I was dead, taking Maria with him.

"Five years I've searched for her. Five years wondering if she is even alive. Though I nearly lost my life that night, I vowed I would not rest until I had brought justice to the demon that stole her from me."

We stood in silence for what seemed like an eternity as his words sank in. Despite his sincerity, I still had a difficult time believing his story. Here this stranger had just walked in claiming to have information about the culprit, and was now blaming the crimes on a creature of fiction. Such a being simply could not exist… could it?

"I'm… terribly sorry for your loss," I finally said at length. "But do you have evidence of the existence of such creatures?"

"The murders and kidnappings are evidence enough," Janssen said. "This is not the first time it has happened, and is sure to not be the last. Unless we can stop them."

"And you just expect us to trust you?"

"No," he replied honestly. "But I beg you to try… for Miss Amber's sake."

* * *

**Author's Note: Uh oh, looks like Amber is missing again... poor girl is just a magnet for trouble, isn't she? And the introduction of a new OC, Alexander Janssen (check out my deviantART gallery for pictures of them and other characters if you'd like a better idea of what they look like. My name on there is ALS123). He's based a little bit on Bram Stoker's famous Abraham Van Helsing, though I tried to give him his own unique personality. So what do you guys think? Should they trust him? Either way, you'll learn more about him as the story progresses **

**So at least now we have an idea of who is committing all these crimes. But you know, it could be more than one person... which one do you think took Amber? **

**Anyway, I'm sure there are some mistakes, because it's late at night and I've been working on this for most of the day, so if there are, I'll correct them later. Hope you enjoy it :)**


	5. Ch 4: Compulsion

Echoes in My Mind

Chapter 4: Compulsion

Hearing a voice calling my name softly, I was awaked from my peaceful slumber. It was a sweet, melodious voice, seeming eerily familiar, beckoning me to awake. I opened my eyes to see who it belonged to, but there was no one there.

_That's strange_, I thought as I sat up. _I could have sworn…_

As I brought up my hand to stifle a yawn, I noticed a sparkling ruby ring on my finger. Wrinkling my brows together in confusion, I held both hands out and saw that the ring was not the only piece of jewelry present. Golden bangle bracelets lined both my arms, sparkling and clinking together in the dim light as I turned my hands over, and as I reached up to my face I felt earrings dangling from my ears. But what startled me the most was the outfit I was wearing. The clothes were a deep brilliant shade of red and made from the softest silk fabric I had ever seen. The top had what I could only describe as gold coins or beads hanging at the neck and the bottom of the fabric, which to my embarrassment, seemed a couple inches too short and exposed a small part of my midriff. The bottom was a long flowing skirt made of the same silky fabric, with a gold belt fastened about my waist. I pulled the straps of the shirt back up on my shoulders only to have them fall down again, and tried to pull the shirt down to make it longer.

"Don't be shy, my dear. You look simply stunning."

It was that voice again, only this time it sounded more clear. Feeling my cheeks burning with embarrassment, I looked off in the direction it came from and saw a shadowy figure sitting on a large stone chair that resembled a throne. The room I was in seemed like something from the pages of a gothic novel, cold and dark, with cathedral ceilings and ornate carvings and scary gargoyle-like statues. The full moon shown brightly through huge stained glass windows behind the figure, filling the room with an eerie bluish light.

_Come._

I gasped and stood up with a start from the chaise lounge I had been lying on. This time it sounded like the voice… had come from inside my head. _Am I still dreaming?_ I wondered.

_Come_, the voice repeated. _Don't be frightened_.

The voice sounded very kind and gentle, and a feeling of calm and safety came over me. To my surprise, I took a step forward and began walking towards the figure. Yet it was not of my own accord. I didn't _want_ to. My instincts screamed at me to run, but it was as if I couldn't control my own movements. Instead, I continued, my bare feet padding softly on the cold stone floor as the bracelets on my arms and the beads on my outfit tinkled with every step.

As I approached the shadow, I began to recognize the tall shape, with large broad shoulders, long tail resting on the floor beside him. But it was that smug grin exposing teeth which seemed even sharper than usual and glowing yellow eyes that filled me with dread.

_Oh no, _I thought_. Not again…_

"Such a pleasure to see you again, my dear," said the figure with a smile, confirming my worst fears.

My throat went dry, and I stood there in shock, trembling slightly. All I managed to croak out was his name.

"R-Ratigan."

"You seemed surprised to see me," he said, cocking his head to the right.

_Of course I am! _I thought. But something was… different about the Professor. He was dressed in his best black suit, with red silk tie and black gloves. But his demeanor seemed even more sinister than usual. I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves and gathering the courage to face my fear. "I guess I should be used to you kidnapping me whenever you want by now," I said. "But don't you remember what happened last time?"

The rat kept the smile on his face, but his fingers clenched the arm of his throne to the point where I seriously believed the stone would crumble to dust in his fingers. "How could I forget?" he replied, a hint of malice in his voice. "You took advantage of my generous hospitality last time, and then made your escape with that insufferable pipsqueak of a detective. Which is why I have made precautions to ensure that it will not happen again."

My heart rate quickened at the mention of Basil, and I suddenly grew scared that this monster had harmed him again. "What did you do to him?" I demanded angrily.

"Not to worry," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "He is safe at home in Baker Street, as I have no interest in him at present. What I meant was that I am sure that there is no possible means of you escaping me again."

"And just how do you plan to prevent me?"

"It shouldn't be too difficult. You've already had a taste of my new power."

I stared at him in confusion, and then it began to dawn on me. "The voice I heard in my mind… that was you?"

"Of course."

"But how…?"

"It is a nifty little trick, isn't it?" he replied with a chuckle. "And it's certainly not the only one I've learned. But I digress. I'm sure you know why I've brought you here."

"The answer is still _no_," I replied firmly, remembering why he had kidnapped me last time.

"Are you so sure?" Ratigan asked, placing his fingertips together. "Soon all of Mousedom will bow before me. Wouldn't you rather be my Queen standing by my side, having them bow to you instead of bowing with them?"

"I will _never_ bow to you!" I said defiantly through gritted teeth.

I thought at first that he might react in anger. But Ratigan simply smiled… a response that I actually found even more frightening. But nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.

First an intense dizziness came over me causing the room to spin. I was still a bit weak from my illness, and as my stomach turned I was afraid I might get sick right there in front of him. But it didn't stop there. My mind suddenly grew clouded and blank; it seemed as if tendrils of darkness were attempting to wrap around and cling to my mind. It was terrifying. Suddenly, an immense shadow seemed to appear in my mind, a dark and threatening presence looming out of the darkness.

"N-No, leave me alone!" I gasped out in fright.

But the shadow only grew larger and stronger, drowning me in its inky darkness. Feeling as if I would pass out, I groaned and sank to the floor, holding my head in my hands. I bent over, cowering in fear before the terror in front of me. But as I lifted my head, I saw that the shadow was gone. In its place was Ratigan, smirking down at me.

It was then that I noticed that I was on my hands and knees, bowing at his feet. Completely unable to move.

"What did you do?" I whispered in horror.

"Things have changed since we last met, my dear," he remarked, leaning down and tilting my chin up to look at him. I tried to turn away from that awful grin, but he held me fast. "And this time, I'm not going to be so nice."

At last he released me, and my head dropped back down. The Professor sat back in his chair, enjoying his victory. I sat there in silence, wondering what had happened to him, how he had gained such power.

"You know," he remarked slyly, "I'm a bit thirsty. Would you be a dear and bring me a glass from that table over there?"

I glared at him with hatred, furious at him for ordering me around like a servant as he sat there reveling in this newfound power. But of course, I had no choice. It was such a strange and helpless feeling, not being in control of my own body.

I rose up to my feet and walked over to the table he indicated. I found it was best not to resist, and so did as I was bidden. As I poured the dark red liquid from a bottle into a gold chalice, I couldn't help thinking that it looked like blood. But I took a deep breath, feeling foolish and telling myself that it was only wine. But with all that had happened so far, I wouldn't be surprised if it _was_ blood.

I walked back to the throne and offered the drink to Ratigan, forced to bow once again. "Thank you," he said with a small smile, taking the cup from me gratefully. I glanced up nervously, repressing a shudder as he drank from the dark liquid in the cup.

"You won't get away with this, Ratigan," I said defiantly. I knew it was cliché, but it was the only thing I could think of at the moment. "Basil stopped you before, and he'll do it again."

"Ha!" Ratigan scoffed, "You really believe he can stop me? When he can't even solve a few measly murders and kidnappings?"

My blood ran cold. "That was you…?"

"Not all of it," he admitted with a shrug. "It would be a hard job to complete all by myself, of course. But did you enjoy my handiwork? I'm sure everyone, including the illustrious Basil of Baker Street, is completely baffled as to how and why I did it."

"And I suppose you don't care to reveal your secret?" I asked.

"You know me so well," Ratigan chuckled.

"Well, I should, seeing how I've spent quite some time with you."

"Time that I will always cherish," he remarked, an expression of sadness appearing on his face. "How can I change your opinion of me so that you are not afraid or repulsed by me?"

"Stop committing such horrible crimes, and quit trying to kidnap me!" I answered angrily. But I then lowered my voice, remembering the feral monster that always threatened to come out. "I understand that you may be lonely, that you want companionship… But you can't just _make_ someone fall in love you. You can instill fear in them like you have with your minions so that they will obey you, or like you have with the rest of Mousedom so that no one will stand against you. But you can't force someone to love you; especially if they love someone else."

Ratigan looked down at the floor, almost ashamedly. But when he lifted his eyes, a small smile appeared, causing shivers to run down my spine. "Actually," he replied, "I can _make_ you do whatever I want. If I say 'Bow,' then you bow." To my horror, the same black shadow wrapped itself around my mind as Ratigan took control yet again, and my head automatically dropped and I bowed lower to the ground in response to his command.

"If I say 'Stand,' then you stand."

Again, I was forced to do as he said, and I rose to my feet.

"If I say 'Dance'… then you dance."

My eyes widened in shock, and to my complete astonishment, I began to dance, as experienced and graceful as if I had been doing it all my life. The little beads on my outfit and the bracelets on my arm tinkled with my movements, and I wondered if Ratigan hadn't planned this all along; what else would explain the exotic outfit I had woken up in?

"S-Stop it," I demanded quietly as I danced closer to him, feeling humiliated as he used me as a puppet for his entertainment. He only smiled in amusement, clearly enjoying the sight of me dancing before him. But thankfully, a few minutes later, he snapped his fingers, and I stopped, walking back in front of him and bowing again at his feet.

"Need I say more?" he chuckled. "With this new power, I can control your every move. Your _will_ join me. Willingly… or not. Your choice."

The shadow lifted from my mind, and I was free to move again. I sat up, considering my options. I certainly did not want to be forced into a lifetime of servitude to this villain. But he was right; if I refused, he would simply wave his hand and I would be powerless to stop him. However, I determined that I would not be another puppet in his criminal organization, and I would do all I could to get away from him.

As Ratigan took another sip from his cup, I immediately sprang up from my spot on the floor while he was distracted and sprinted away in the opposite direction. I doubted I would get very far, but I knew I had to escape from him, fear lending flight to my steps. I reached a door on the far side of the room, but to my dismay, it was locked.

"Running away will do you no good, Miss Amber," Ratigan said, still seated on his throne, swirling the drink around in his cup absently, watching me with a slightly amused expression on his face.

Still, I ran towards another door in the room, only to find it locked as well. With a feeling of panic, I spun around and to look for another means of escape, only to find my way barred by Ratigan himself. His sudden appearance caused me to jump with fright. How had he moved across the room so fast? But I hastily pushed the thought aside and rushed past the rat, knowing that I _had_ to get away from him.

_Enough_, said the voice sternly, echoing in my mind. Once again I felt that shadowy darkness enveloping my mind, bending my will to his.

I immediately froze in my tracks and was forced to turn around and face the rat. I shook in terror as he approached, feeling like helpless prey trapped by a stalking predator.

The blue moonlight streaming from the window behind me illuminated Ratigan's face. He gazed down at me with a stern expression, his yellow eyes tinged with red boring into mine.

_You see, my dear? _he said, no longer speaking out loud. _With you completely in my power, there is no chance of escape. _

A chill ran down my spine as reached a gloved hand to my face and stroked my cheek softly. His hand traveled down to my neck, and I felt compelled to lean my head back. Taking me in his arms, Ratigan pulled me close, one hand on the small of my back, the other behind my neck. With my heart pounding frantically in my chest, my breath slow and labored, he leaned down and kissed me softly. I tried to pull away, thinking of how furious and devastated Basil would be if he were to see this, but those thoughts were scattered as Ratigan continued to kiss me, his voice echoing inside my head.

_He is of none of your concern anymore_, Ratigan said, his voice booming in the darkness. _You belong to me! _I tilted my head to the left as his lips grazed my throat. Suddenly everything became crystal clear, and as I recalled my past dreams, I knew just what he intended to do.

_I'm dreaming again_, I thought. _This _must _be a dream, it _has _to be! Wake up, please wake up!_

However, I felt the stinging pain on my throat as his teeth pierced my skin, and I cried out softly. But that was nothing compared to the sensation of having blood drawn from my body against my will.

_Shh… _the voice said softly as I groaned in pain and fear_. _I immediately relaxed, going limp in his grasp with nothing to hold me up but his strong arms as he continued to feed. _It will all be over soon. This is not the first time I have tasted your blood, neither will it be the last…_

A chilling horror gripped my soul at the realization. _They weren't dreams…_

_No_, came Ratigan's soft reply.

Ratigan was a vampire… drinking my blood…

He would make me his queen, whether I wanted to be or not…

I may never see Basil again…

…This was a nightmare from which I would never wake up.

Minutes later, Ratigan lifted his head, and through half lidded eyes I could see the blood… _my_ blood… staining his lips, his razor sharp fangs…

Feeling very weak from the loss of blood and everything that had happened, I closed my eyes, just wishing I could go back to sleep.

"Not yet, my dear." I looked up dazedly to see Ratigan bite his own wrist, causing blood to flow freely, and I turned my head away in horror when he held it up to my mouth. "If you don't," he explained, "you will die of blood loss."

When I still refused, the voice came back inside my mind. _Drink_, he said, half demanding, half encouraging.

Though the thought was utterly repulsive to me, I obeyed, and licked the wound gingerly. Once I had tasted it, I was surprised and a bit mortified to find myself drinking eagerly. I didn't want to die, after all… but what if this changed me as well?

Well…it's too late now.

I suddenly felt even more tired from the whole ordeal, and felt my eyes closing once again. Ratigan gathered me up in his arms and carried me back over to the chaise lounge I had been lying on before. He laid me down gently and caressed my cheek.

"Sleep now, my love," he whispered, kissing my forehead and filling me with a feeling of peace as I began to drift off to sleep.

…_My Queen of Darkness._

* * *

**Author's Note: Yep, here is the chapter several people have been waiting for, the one based off a previous ficlet I called "Queen of Darkness." (I added the dancing bit lol) Some of this chapter was based on a dream I had a while back which is what inspired this entire sequel, just like a dream inspired "Echoes in the Night" **

**So here we find out that apparently Amber wasn't having dreams... Ratigan really was coming into her room at night and feasting on her blood so he could become familiar with her mind so he could control it. That's sort of the inspiration for the title of this story, him getting inside her head to control her. I'll elaborate more on that in either the next chapter or the one after that. First, we gotta find out what Basil, Dawson, and Janssen's strategy will be to save her. Or who knows? Maybe Amber will get tired of being a damsel in distress and save herself XD_  
_**

**I also made an illustration for this chapter and others on my deviantART page, so check it out if you'd like. My username there is ALS123 :)**


	6. Ch 5: Alliance

Echoes in my Mind

Chapter 5: Alliance

Though still a bit doubtful about Janssen's claims, he did seem to be our only lead in this case; and so Dawson and I accompanied him to his home in Sussex. I glanced about the study with curiosity, observing the various odds and ends that only added to the mystery of our strange host. Books written in various languages lay open on a desk against the wall, along with documents written in a neat, precise hand. Several bookcases were well stocked with large volumes, ranging from ancient tomes which looked as if they would crumble to dust in your hands should you attempt to read them, to dictionaries and encyclopedias, to medical journals and textbooks. Interestingly, I noticed the stained chemical table that, not unlike my own, was littered with beakers, test tubes, burners, and potions. Strange weapons also lay about the flat, including guns of several makes and models as well as a homemade crossbow mounted on a wall.

"So, in addition to 'vampire hunter,' " I quipped, also eyeing the pile of stakes in one corner, "you're a chemist, scholar, and medical doctor?"

"Couldn't decide what I wanted to be when I grew up," Janssen replied with a mischievous smile. "But I am a doctor by profession; the others are more like hobbies."

"Ah." I examined a silver tipped spear propped against a bookcase with interest. "It seems you have a particular fondness for the folklore surrounding the creatures you claim are preying upon the citizens of Mousedom."

"Not only Mousedom, Mr. Basil," Janssen replied solemnly. "Attacks of this nature have been occurring all over the globe for thousands of years. At a time such as this, when the crimes are more prominent, it is usually the work of a newborn."

"What is that?" asked Dawson.

"A newborn," he explained, "is exactly as it sounds: a newly created vampire. When a person is first changed, they have little to no control over their urges. When the thirst overcomes them, it is too great to resist, and they wreak havoc on the nearest population."

"And you think a 'newborn' is the one responsible for the recent killings?"

"Yes. Or, as is more likely, several newborns. You see, most vampires, the ones who aren't nomads, claim a specific amount of territory as their domain. It may be as small as a town or village, or as large as an entire city or province; depends on how old or powerful the vampire is. Then the ruler of the domain will sire many more vampires under them; meaning, they create more vampires and are able to control their every action, using them as servants or minions to carry out their biding. They are basically puppets in the hands of the one who sired them.

"What I believe is happening now is that someone has recently been changed, and they have staked out this territory as their own. And now they, along with their subordinates, are using this city as a means to slake their thirst. But it is apparent that this new head vampire is still only a fledgling, as he does not appear to be too concerned with hiding the crimes. Most vampires do all they can to hide their existence."

"Well, that does explain the murders," Dawson remarked. "But what about the kidnappings?"

"Where do you think the minions came from?" Janssen pointed out quietly. "Either that, or they were kidnapped and taken to the head vampire's lair, where they are kept as a more permanent source of blood should it become too dangerous for the vampires to venture out into the city for victims."

"And you suggest that Miss Amber has now fallen into that category," Dawson said with concern.

"Unfortunately, yes," Janssen answered sadly.

"All this information is very interesting," I spoke up, still a bit skeptical, "however, you have yet to convince me that such creatures even exist. It is more probable that Amber was taken by my arch nemesis as a means of revenge."

"Whatever took her _was_ in fact, a vampire," Janssen insisted. "When I first entered your flat, I could sense that a vampire had been there."

"How?" I demanded, for that was a question that had been lurking in the back of mind, along with countless others.

"Five years experience in dealing with them has made me sensitive to their presence," Janssen replied evenly. "Vampires have a very strong and distinct aura, and it is not difficult to detect _if_ you know how."

"But where is your evidence?" I insisted. "Pardon if I seem rude, but we can't sit here spinning theories while Amber is in jeopardy! I need facts, _solid_ facts. Not conjecture and speculation."

"I understand, Mr. Basil." Janssen's ripped ears perked up and he smiled. "But I do believe someone has arrived that may be able to help me convince you."

At that moment, the door opened and a well dressed mouse- young, early to mid twenties, tan fur, messy black hair, and brilliant sparkling blue-gray eyes- stepped inside. "Doctor, you'll never believe what… oh, my apologies, I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Not a problem at all. I actually am in need of your assistance. Would you mind showing these two gentlemen a sample of your abilities?"

The young mouse eyed us with amusement. "Non-believers, eh?"

I crossed my arms sullenly. "Until I see proof- What the..?" To my utter astonishment, the mouse disappeared.

"Wh-where did he go?" Dawson stammered.

"I'm right here," the mouse's voice said right next to our ears. We whirled around, only to find the space empty. I briefly caught sight of a blur as it passed by the desk, scattering papers onto the floor, but the movement was far too fast for the natural eye to follow.

"Try here," the voice said, tapping me on the shoulder. I whirled around, but again, it was gone. No matter how hard I tried, it moved too quickly to follow. Suddenly, I felt something grab me, pinning my hands behind my back and jerking my head backward. I was horrified as the mouse barred his teeth and hissed… and out of the corner of my eye I could see razor sharp canines poised just above my throat. Of course I attempted to struggle, but his grip was so tight, it was as if he had the strength of twenty mice. It all happened so quickly that Dawson didn't even have time to react and come to my aid.

"Convincing enough for you?" he chuckled, releasing me so suddenly that I almost fell backward onto the floor.

"Y-Yes," I breathed when I was finally able to find my voice. "Y-You… You're one of them?"

"Don't worry, I'm on your side," he laughed, holding up his hands in defense. "Unfortunately, it's the criminal types what give us all a bad name."

"Indeed," Janssen chuckled. "Gentlemen, may I introduce Mr. Damien Talbot, my assistant and most trusted companion. I met him several years ago during my travels, and he has become my eyes and ears into the vampire world, traveling in places where I cannot and collecting information that has become invaluable to me. Damien, Mr. Basil of Baker Street and his colleague Dr. Dawson."

"So you're the famed great mouse detective and his chronicler?" Damien asked, his eyes widening in awe. "I always enjoy reading about your latest adventures, such a pleasure to me you both. I do hope you'll forgive me for my earlier antics," he added, his dark eyes twinkling mischievously.

"No trouble at all," Dawson laughed, shaking the young mouse's hand warmly.

"Speak for yourself," I mumbled under my breath.

"Now Damien," Janssen said, getting back to business. "What was it that you were saying when you first arrived?"

"Oh yes!" Damien exclaimed. "I have discovered something that just might lead you to your villain that took Miss Maria."

"Go on," Janssen prodded excitedly.

"You were correct about the newborn," Damien continued. "He was changed only recently, but has already grown exceedingly powerful. I wasn't able to learn his name, but I did find out that he is holding a ball for all the prestigious vampires in the area to celebrate his new reign of power. Luckily, with my connections, I am one of the ones invited," he added with a smug grin.

"Excellent work, m'boy!" Janssen exclaimed, clapping Damien on the back, who smiled at a job well done. "Where is this ball to be held?"

Damien walked to the other side of the room and indicated a map hanging on the wall. "Unfortunately, I'm not sure of the _exact_ location," he said. "But it is in this area here."

I instantly froze, staring at the map in horror as a flood of memories assaulted my mind.

"Is… Isn't that where we found you and Miss Amber?" Dawson asked me in shock.

I could only nod in response. I heard Dawson explaining to our hosts the events that occurred several months ago, but his voice sounded distant and faded as the wheels in my brain spun out of control.

"We searched for days," Dawson said, his story coming to an end. "But could never find Ratigan's lair again."

"It's in there," I stated, touching the area on the map. "Amber is there… she has to be."

"B-But Basil," Dawson remarked concernedly. "That means… Ratigan is the… the…"

"No," I whispered. "It's impossible…"

I felt Janssen's hand on my shoulder. "Mr. Basil, I realize it is a difficult concept to think of… but it is a possibility that you must consider. Now, was there any change, anything at all, about the Professor that was different from the time you saw him during the Flaversham case and the time you saw him last?"

"No," I answered. "I mean, nothing that would indicate…"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure!"

"It could have happened in these six months since then…" Damien remarked pointedly.

"The clues add up…" Dawson admitted, shaking his head incredibly.

"No!" I exclaimed. "Th-this is insane! To think that Ratigan is now a… a… Th-The vampires could be working for him. He is the Napoleon of Crime after all."

"No vampire takes orders from a mortal," Damien said.

"Now, now…" Janssen said, holding up his hands, "let's not get ahead of ourselves. We do not know for certain that this ball is being held in the same castle, though it is very probable. It is also possible that the vampires could have overthrown Ratigan and are now using his castle for their own purposes. We can sit here and form theories all night; or, we can get a hold of ourselves and form a plan. Either way, at least we now have an objective. We must find some way to infiltrate this ball and see if we can find Miss Amber."

"I think I may be able to help with that," Damien replied, exposing those long sharp teeth in another mischievous grin…

* * *

**Author's Note: Just to point out, my version of a vampire will be more of a mixture of what already exists in folklore and movies and such. Mostly elements from Dracula and the Vampire Diaries (TVD), since those are the two kinds that I'm most familiar with. Plus I'll add my own little twists ^_^**

**So here we have a new OC, Damien Talbot. I know, Damien is such a typical vampire name, but I like it. (He is partially based on Damon Salvator from TVD, but he probably won't be quite so devious) He's very mischievous though, as you can tell from his actions towards Basil XD**

**At least now we're getting an idea as to what's happening in Mousedom now. We'll learn more about that as the story progresses ;-)**


	7. Ch 6: Confusion

Echoes in my Mind

Chapter 6: Confusion

As I began to wake, I turned over groggily and let out a tired sigh, squeezing my eyes shut tighter and nestling deeper under the silk covers…

Wait… _Silk_?

My eyes shot open instantly and I jolted upright, looking around frantically. I was definitely not in my room at Baker Street. However, I soon realized that this room was all too familiar; from the deep burgundy sheets to the ornate fireplace to the rich ruby carpet to the golden sconces on the walls… each detail reminding me that what had happened last night was real. That I was once again trapped in Ratigan's castle.

I swung my feet over the edge of the bed and slipped into a pair of slippers on the floor, grabbing a white robe hanging from the door of the wardrobe to put on over my thin nightgown. I headed over to the large window and pulled back the curtains, letting sunlight stream through, bathing the room in a warm golden hue.

The last time I was here in the middle of the night; so now I was able to view the surroundings during the day for the first time. Although I must have slept for the majority of the day, judging from the low position of the sun in the sky. I seemed to be in one of the high towers of the castle, and had a perfect view of the scenery below. The castle itself was actually perched high up on a hill, the jagged rocks making it difficult for anyone to enter or leave, as Basil and I had learned from experience. Mountains rose up on three sides of the castle, with the dark forest lying directly ahead to the north. A thick, unearthly fog seemed to be rolling in, especially around the forest. No wonder the police could never find this place; it was a miracle that Basil and I had found our own way out to begin with.

As I gazed out over the forest, I couldn't help wondering if Basil was out there. Of course, he would instigate a search as soon as he discovered my absence. Part of me was hopeful, and I was assured that he would stop at nothing to find me; but another part wanted him to not have any part of it. After all, there was no telling what dangers might be lurking out there, not to mention what, or rather who, would be waiting for him here.

I jumped slightly as a knock sounded on the door, breaking my thoughts. I took a deep breath, steeling my nerves to meet Ratigan again. However, I was infinitely relieved to see the lovely Miss Kitty glide into the room, her movements delicate and graceful even as she balanced a tray of food and tea in her hands.

"Hi, sweetie," she greeted with a smile, setting the tray on the table in front of the sofa and chaise lounge in the sitting area, then coming over to hug me. "It's good to see you again. Though I'm sorry we always have to meet this way."

"That's ok," I replied with a chuckle, returning her hug. "It's nice to see a friendly face."  
I had only met the former stage singer once before when Basil and I had been held prisoner here all those months ago. But even in that brief amount of time, it was clear to see that she was a kind and friendly person, as well as very brave. She had actually helped us to escape, and if she hadn't shown up when she did, I don't think Basil and I would have made it. Thankfully, it seemed no one had ever found out about her involvement. And though it was good to see her, it was also further confirmation that all this was, in fact, real.

After I had dressed in a dark purple dress and made an attempt to tame my mess of curly hair, we sat down on the sofa in the sitting area to eat. "How are you feeling?" she asked she poured us both some tea.

"Okay, I guess," I replied, rubbing my neck absently; though surprisingly there was no mark where Ratigan had bitten me.

"The good thing is that vampire blood has healing qualities to it," Kitty remarked with a small smile. As strange as it sounded, I suppose it made sense. Maybe that's also part of why I never realized that those "dreams" I had of Ratigan drinking my blood at night were actually real; there was no evidence of it the next morning because the bite mark had healed so quickly. Well, no evidence other than the weakness and feeling of sickness from the blood loss, though thankfully that seemed to be getting better as well; possibly because my body was growing so used to the vampire blood.

"So…" I remarked quietly after eating in silence for a few moments. "Ratigan is a vampire."

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Kitty replied, shaking her head.

I nodded in agreement. "How did it happen?"  
"I'm not exactly sure," she replied. She placed a hand on her chin thoughtfully. "Though I think it had something to do with the visitor that arrived several months ago."

"Visitor?"

"Yes. He was a very tall mouse, with gray fur and long black hair, wearing a nice expensive suit. Unfortunately, I didn't catch his name; he had a fancy title, like a Count or something, and he was a foreigner. He came one night saying he had business to discuss with the Professor. Very dashing actually, if you prefer the tall, dark, and handsome type."

"Is he the one who changed Ratigan into a vampire?"

"No one knows for sure. They were alone, you see; but they talked for a good while. Of what, I have no idea. Then after he left… the Professor was never quite the same."

I sat quiet for a moment, wondering about this mysterious foreigner and why he would change Ratigan. Or why Ratigan would _allow_ him to change him. Then another horrifying thought crossed my mind.

"But am I not a vampire now too since I… d-drank _his_ blood?" I asked worriedly, shuddering at the thought and suddenly losing my appetite.

"Oh no, no, no, that's not how it works." She laid a comforting hand on my shoulder and paused for a moment. "In order to become a vampire," she said hesitantly, "you would have to die with vampire blood in your system."

I sat quietly in horror as the information sank in, but took a deep breath and waited for her to go on.

"Like I said," she continued, "A vampire's blood is very potent. A little of it can actually be beneficial to a mortal, such as to speed the healing of sickness or wounds. But the more of it you take, the more you begin to _act_ like a vampire. You start to gain some of their abilities; improved sight, hearing, speed, agility… and eventually, you will also begin to crave blood. But it's only temporary, and as it passes out of your system, those side effects go away. Unless you share blood with a vampire so much to the point where there is more vampire blood inside you than mortal blood. It's like a poison. Then to make the transition, you have to die, losing your mortality… becoming an undead vampire."

I gulped nervously. "So if I were to die now, w-with Ratigan's blood in my system… I-I would…?"

She nodded slowly, and I trembled in fright. Was _that_ Ratigan's plan? To take so much of my blood and replace it with his own, then kill me to make the transformation? Ratigan had been feeding on me for a while now; and he had called me his "Queen of Darkness…" He was a criminal after all; in fact, he was "the world's greatest criminal mind." He had murdered others in cold blood; and I was sure he wouldn't hesitate to do the same to me in order to get what he wanted.

Seeing my terrified expression, Kitty squeezed my hand in reassurance. "But don't worry, hon," she said with another warm smile. "I don't think the Professor would do such a thing to you. It may be hard to imagine, but I think he genuinely has feelings for you."

"Well, I don't feel for him like he does for me," I replied quietly.

"You don't have any feelings for him at all?" she prodded.

"Well, no, it's not that I... don't care for him at all…" I stammered nervously, finding myself torn and confused about my _true_ feelings for the Professor. But I hastily added, "I-It's more like… I feel sorry for him. No one deserves to be treated the way he's been treated, and I'm sure that deep down, all he wants is a companion, someone to show him some compassion, just like everyone else wants." However, I shook my head in frustration, bringing a hand up to my head as a headache began to form. Maybe it was just the compulsion talking. He could be brainwashing me to fall in love with him, for all I knew. "But _I_ love _Basil_," I emphasized.

Kitty nodded sympathetically. "And it's very clear that the feeling is mutual. In fact, I bet he's on his way here right now-" At that moment, she was interrupted by a knocking on the door, so she called out "Come in!" cheerily.

"Good afternoon, ladies," greeted Ratigan as he stepped inside the room, giving a polite little bow. "I do hope I'm not interrupting?"

As our eyes met, my heart pounded as I wondered just how long he'd been outside the door and how much of our conversation he'd heard. But it was a good thing Kitty was such an expert actress. "Not at all, Professor," Kitty replied flashing her best smile and giving no evidence of what we had been talking about as she stood up and gathered the remnants of the tray of food.

"Good, good. I was just thinking, Miss Amber, that I never finished giving you a proper tour of the castle. There's so much to show you; I would be delighted if you would accompany me?"

I pondered for a moment if it was such a good idea to be alone with him, but as Missy Kitty smiled encouragingly, I decided to play along for now and nodded to the Professor. "Of course, Professor," I replied politely with a smile, taking his offered hand. "I would like that."

"Please," he replied, taking my hand in his, "call me Padraic."

"Padraic," I repeated, giving the name a try. "Is that Irish?" I asked.

"It is," he answered with a smile. As we exited my room, he went on to say how his grandparents had immigrated from Ireland, yet he only mentioned it briefly, avoiding any talk of his past as usual. Instead, he expounded on the choice of his name, how it was a form of "Patrick," its meaning and origins.

And so began our tour as we walked arm in arm throughout his home. I had to admit, it was a magnificent place, filled with so many rooms that it seemed that you would have to spend days just to see each one. We passed the familiar music room, filled with Ratigan's beloved harp as well as every other instrument imaginable; the large dining hall, filled with long tables and humongous crystal chandeliers overhead; and countless other rooms. I had hoped that the tour would help me to learn my way around in case I should ever have a chance to escape; yet with each new room and passageway, it had quite the opposite effect.

"This one is another favorite of mine," said Ratigan as we came to a huge library of sorts, filled with books of all shapes and sizes, as well as a large oak desk and ornate fireplace. "I come here often whenever I need to think in peace."

"You have a lovely home," I remarked, running my hand along the carved mantelpiece.

"Thank you," Ratigan replied happily. "I'm so pleased to hear that you like it. It is now your home as well, you know."

"You can't honestly expect me to just stay here with you," I said incredibly.

"Actually, I do; because as far as I'm concerned, our bargain still stands."

I crossed my arms irately. "Our bargain was that I would join you _only_ if you promised not to harm Basil."

"And I have kept up my part. When I brought you here, I could have just as easily brought him along as well… or better yet, spared myself the trouble and just destroyed him then and there. But, to honor our agreement, I've left him alone; at least for the moment. I would hate to think of what misfortunes might befall dear Basil should you attempt an escape…" I gulped nervously as his eyes grew dark. But he shrugged carelessly. "Besides, he would only hamper my plans further if he were here."

"And what plans are they exactly? All those innocent people you killed…they had families, friends… _lives_. And you destroyed them, all to satisfy your own selfish needs."

"If only it were that simple," he said with a shake of the head. "No, no, my dear Amber. I'm afraid it is a much bigger plan than that."

"I'm listening."

"Well, first off, you assume all the victims are dead. Not true. In fact, a vast majority of them are here in this castle. But they serve a greater purpose now."

"_What_ purpose?" I prodded.

"I've told you, to serve _me_, to carry out _my_ orders. Some I've changed into vampires to serve as my minions. Others are here to sustain our way of life. You see, if we continue to prey upon the citizens of Mousedom, it will draw more attention to our presence. Hence, we have need of a sort of stock reserve here in case it should prove too dangerous to venture into the city. Vampires need food to live too, you know."

"So you… you've kidnapped people to use as a food source?"

"Something of the sort. Secondly, you assume I'm working alone.

"Aren't you?"

"Of course not! I may be a criminal mastermind, but some plans simply cannot be carried out by one lone individual. I need minions, allies, to aid me in my conquest."

"Well, I'm not going to be another one of your puppets to do with as you please."

"If you recall, I have ways to make certain you do stay."

"So what, you're going to brainwash me into falling in love with you?"

"The thought has crossed my mind." My heart pounded to think that he actually had that much power over me, and was quite capable of doing so. "But I would rather you make that decision for yourself. Say I _was_ to compel you. You would be mine forever, yes. But it wouldn't be real. You would only be acting as I wished for you to act. It would all be a lie. I don't want that. I want something real."

"What about you? Do you _really_ love me? Have you ever really loved anyone besides yourself? I realize you've had a difficult past. It's completely unfair the way you've been treated. But that doesn't give you license to do as you please and manipulate others to do what you want. I don't think you love me. You love the idea of _being_ in love."  
"Is it really any different between you and Basil? If you had met _me_ first, it might be the other way around. I think you love him because he was the first to ever show any interest in you. So tell me, Miss Amber… do you truly love _him? _And are you so sure that he shares those same feelings for you?"

"O-Of course he does. I-I mean, we haven't' known each other for very long...less than a year… but yes, he…"

I trailed off as Ratigan took my hands in his and gazed down at me. "Has he looked you square in the eyes, taken you into his arms, and told how much you mean to him? That he loves you?"

A cold chill took hold of me as I realized that we hadn't exchanged those three little words. We had only been courting for a few months; it never consisted of more than going on outings together, holding hands, the occasional kiss or two. I tried to shake my head to dispel the thought, knowing that that was probably his plan, to confuse me about my feelings for Basil; but unfortunately, the doubt had already taken hold and was spreading like a poison through my mind.

"Why me?" I said pleaded quietly. "Out of all the women in Mousedom, why choose _me_? I'm the furthest thing from perfect. And I would think that someone with as much power and wealth as you claim to possess would have women fawning all over him. Was there no one before me... someone that you've ever loved more than yourself?"

To my surprise, he wasn't able to meet my eyes and actually turned his back to me. But not before I caught a look of sadness on his face. He stood very still for a few moments, as if gathering his composer.

"There was someone… wasn't there?" I whispered, feeling a pang of sympathy for him. He stood there still as a statue, staring out the window into the dark. I reached out to touch his shoulder, but stopping as he spoke.

"I have found, Miss Amber," he said, "That what has past is better _left_ in the past."

I dropped my hand and stepped back, gulping nervously as his stern eyes met mine, warning me not to pursue the subject further. Though I was extremely curious, I wisely heeded the warning. We stood still for several awkward moments, until Ratigan turned back to me with a sigh.

"You have no idea of the effect you have on people," he said with a shake of his head. "I'll admit that at first, I was only interested in using you as a means of defeating my mortal enemy. However, I've come to realize during our brief time together that… that you are a remarkable young woman. Kind, compassionate, intelligent, brave. I believe you have the makings of a great queen. Imagine…" his eyes shone with excitement as he spoke, "Imagine what we could accomplish together."

I looked down at the floor, shifting my weight to the other foot awkwardly. I just didn't see myself as queen material. "I'm not cut out to be a queen," I admitted shyly. "I don't care for power or riches. A-And, to be honest… I just don't trust you."

To my surprise, Ratigan nodded in understanding. "I suppose I'll have to find a way to earn your trust then."

We stood there for several awkward moments, unsure of what to say next. I watched as he leaned against the fireplace casually, his movements so smooth and graceful.

"What happened to you?" I asked, curious about his transformation, and also hoping to change the subject. "I-I mean how did you become…?"

"This?" he finished, gesturing to himself. I nodded embarrassedly, not sure of how to word the question. He chuckled in response. "It was actually part of a business negotiation. As you know, I am the head of Mousedom's criminal organization, and my influence reaches throughout circles in Great Britain and even your own America. But it comes as no surprise that there are others like myself out there with their own little rings of crime. But I am one of the foremost leaders in my… eh, 'profession'… And it seems that news of my exploits has spread overseas and reached the ears of another prominent criminal mind. A few months ago, this individual actually paid me a visit to see my accomplishments for himself. He was clearly impressed, and applauded me in my success. He is very much like myself, possessing an organization of his own, and he expressed interest in combining our efforts to strengthen our power even further. I admit, the idea was of great appeal to me, especially as he recounted his own success. He is a Count, a prominent figure in his country, with enormous wealth and power, and is feared by all who know him.

"And so, after much discussion, he made this offer: if I were to join him as an ally, he would give me something that would give me ultimate power over my enemies. And so, we agreed to join forces…"

"…a-and the power he gave you…

"…was to change me into a vampire."

I gulped nervously before stating my next question. "A-And are you going to… turn _me_?"

"No," he replied, shaking his head. I gave a quiet sigh of relief. "Though there are many advantages to being a vampire," he explained, "you will always be a slave to your thirst. You may learn to control it, but it will never be fully satisfied. I would not force such a burden upon you."

"Yet you don't mind forcing me to be your queen," I retorted, becoming annoyed again.

"You will thank me one day," he said, a hint of malice in his voice. "When the rest of Mousedom, including your precious detective, is subject to my wrath, you will stand by my side. Changing you into a vampire is not a necessity. Either way, you will still be my queen of darkness. Besides… I'm growing quite fond of your blood. I'm… I'm growing addicted to it. The more I taste, the more I want..."

I could feel the desperation in his voice, see the pain in his eyes; and for an instant, that pang of sympathy I felt for him returned yet again. After all the things he'd gone through because of his species, and now he was also to suffer the tortures of being a vampire? It just… didn't seem fair. My emotions were conflicted again; I mean, he was talking about _drinking my blood_… yet somehow, he still managed to make me feel sorry for him. Perhaps it was intentional… perhaps not.

"Be very still," he ordered quietly, his low baritone causing shivers to run down my spine. He parted my hair to one side, exposing the left side of my neck, and I froze as I felt his warm breath on my fur. My heart pounded frantically as he gripped my shoulders gently and bent his head down, bringing his lips to my throat. I tensed up, waiting to feel the piercing sting of his fangs sinking into my skin, but he only kissed my neck softly. "However," he continued, "I don't wish to harm you." He chuckled quietly, his voice rumbling in his chest. "Quite a predicament, isn't it?"

* * *

**Author's Note: Phew, here it is (FINALLY)... the update you've been waiting for. So sorry it took so long, and thank you very much for being patient with me.**

**I wondered if I shouldn't add a little more, but I decided to stop here and I'll just add the rest to the next chapter. **


	8. Ch 7: The Count

Echoes in my Mind

Chapter 7: The Count

I held my breath fearfully; unable to speak, unable to move… just waiting to see what Ratigan would do. He brought down his head again, whether to kiss me or bite me I didn't know. But he stopped suddenly and gazed out the window behind me, as if something had caught his eye. A look of surprise passed his face briefly as he focused on something.

"He's early…" Ratigan muttered, frowning slightly.

"Who?" I asked, turning around to look out the window as well. However, I saw nothing out of the ordinary. Although his vampire senses were much stronger, so I suppose he saw something that I couldn't.

"My colleague; the Count I was telling you about earlier," Ratigan explained. "I wasn't expecting him so soon…" He turned to me and smiled apologetically. "If you don't mind, just wait here for a moment. I will return shortly."

At that, Ratigan took his leave to go deal with the newcomer. Now that I was left alone, I saw it as another opportunity to escape. But to my dismay, I found the door locked. Still trapped.

I searched for an alternate exit, but of course found none. Giving up for now, I decided to wait for Ratigan and his "guest" in a chair by the window, and gazed outside. It was now dusk, the first stars twinkling in the night sky. In the waning light, I could dimly make out the grounds below, finding that this window overlooked the castle gates, as the lengthening shadows gave the scenery an ominous appearance.

As I wondered who Ratigan was so eager for me to meet, I noticed one of the shadows down on the ground move. At first I thought it might have been my imagination; but sure enough, it was a large shape making its way towards the gates. It appeared to be an animal of some sort. Larger than a cat… a wolf, maybe? No, this was smaller than a wolf. But it looked like some type of dog… with a… a bushy tail…? A fox? Yes, it must be a fox.

I shivered nervously as the animal stalked about outside the gates, probably in search of prey, and I was thankful to be safe indoors. The fox stopped as it reached the gate, and to my astonishment, something, or rather someone, dismounted from the fox's back as if they had been riding it! Stranger still, the fox lowered its head, and the mouse stroked its muzzle lovingly as if it were a pet! I couldn't believe my eyes; mice were a main food source for foxes, yet this one seemed to have no interest whatsoever in eating the mouse. At length, the gates suddenly seemed to open of their own accord, and I lost sight of the mouse as it strode inside, and so I watched the fox slink back into the trees.

A short time later, the large oak doors opened and I stood as Ratigan reentered the room in the company of none other than the same mouse who had been riding on the back of the fox. He had gray fur and raven black hair, was dressed all in black… Come to think of it, that was the same description Kitty had given me of…

"May I introduce the lovely Miss Amber," said Ratigan, interrupting my thoughts abruptly. "Amber, my colleague and most recent partner in crime… Count Fane cel Raul."

I nearly gasped out loud as the truth dawned on me. It was _him_... the mouse that had changed Ratigan into a vampire.

"Amber," the Count repeated with a slight foreign accent, causing my heart to flutter as my name rolled eloquently off his tongue. "'A precious jewel.' And a beautiful gem you are indeed."

"Th-thank you, Count," I replied politely and taking his outstretched hand reluctantly.

"Please, call me Fane," he said, flashing a brilliant smile which revealed his long canines. "It is an honor to finally make your acquaintance, Miss Amber. The Professor has told me so much about you." I blushed again as he kissed the back of my hand softly, and shivers went up my spine as his grey eyes stared at me hungrily… or rather, thirstily.

Ratigan must have noticed as well, because he quickly appeared by my side, placing his arm around me. "Well, Count," he said, his eyes dark with… was that jealousy…? "I'm sure you must be tired from your long journey. Perhaps some refreshments are in order."

At a snap of his fingers, another mouse, a young girl who looked to be a few years younger than me, entered the room carrying a tray with a pitcher and cups. Fane took the offered seat by the fire, and Ratigan offered me the other seat opposite the Count, while he preferred to stand and leaned casually against the mantelpiece while he and Fane made small talk about the weather and Fane's journey here. I didn't pay much attention to the conversation because I was busy studying the girl as she placed the tray on a small side table beside of Fane, having the strangest sensation that I had seen her somewhere before. I repressed a shudder as she poured the red liquid into the glass, and as she presented the cup to Fane, I suddenly noticed the blank look on her face; her eyes seemed to be glazed over as if she were staring without actually seeing, though her movements were precise and deliberate. As her long golden brown hair fell to one side, I saw two red marks on the side of her neck…

A chilling dread took hold of me as I suddenly recognized her. I had seen her photograph among the ones of the other victims who had been kidnapped in the recent weeks. She must be one of the "sources" that Ratigan had told me of earlier; a compelled servant, completely in his control. Ratigan gave a slight wave of his hand, dismissing her, and she bowed slightly before leaving the room.

I looked down at my hands clasped tightly together in my lap, feeling dizzy and almost sick at seeing the poor girl. At least Fane hadn't bit her in order to slake his thirst; though it was obvious she had been fed on before. I thought of the many others like her who had been stolen from their families and were now being held captive in this castle, forced to serve these creatures…

When I looked up again, I was startled to see Fane watching me again. As he gazed at me with those dark eyes, I found myself unable to look away. He seemed very nice and polite, yet dark and threatening at the same time. He smiled, and I suddenly felt a rush of warmth to my face as I noticed that… that he was actually quite attractive. I immediately recoiled at the thought, shocked that I was even thinking of anyone other than Basil in that way.

Ratigan cleared his throat, throwing a warning glare at Fane; though I was sure the Count didn't care because his eyes remained locked on me as he took another sip from his cup.

I suddenly wondered why the servant only brought Fane a drink and not the Professor. However, I soon realized that he never intended to use a cup as he motioned for me to stand and held his hand out towards me expectantly. Before I could think, I found myself standing obediently and taking the two steps toward him and placing my right hand in his. He turned my hand so that my palm was facing upward, and soon I felt the stinging pain as he bit into my wrist. I glared at him at first, furious and a little humiliated, but eventually just kept my head bowed as he fed, giving myself completely over to him as resistance only caused more pain.

I glanced out of the corner of my eye to see Fane watching with a mixture of interest and amusement. Maybe it was because our minds seemed to be more linked together while he fed on me, but somehow I realized that Ratigan had done this as a show of power. Fane was to drink out of a cup while Ratigan enjoyed something more… fresh, for lack of a better term. He was demonstrating that Fane was in his domain now, that _he_ was Master. Yet Fane seemed unimpressed, hiding a smile as he continued to drink from his own cup.

Once Ratigan was finished, he graciously led me back to the chair before my legs gave out from under me. "I'm afraid I must leave you alone for a moment, my dear," he said apologetically. "The Count and I have matters that need to be discussed privately. Feel free to explore, but try not to wander too far away. Can't have you getting lost, after all."

I nodded, not missing the underlying threat should I attempt an escape, and the two exited the room. I considered taking him up on his offer and exploring the place, but I felt weak again from his feeding on me, and so decided to explore another day. Thankfully, the small wound wasn't bleeding much since Ratigan's fangs… I shuddered at that word… only pierced my skin without actually tearing the flesh. Still, I definitely felt the effects of having my blood taken.

At least I had something to occupy my time. After a few minutes, I stood up slowly and began to browse the bookshelves. I actually found that I really liked this room with its rows upon rows of books and the warm glow of the fire; I actually wouldn't mind spending some time in here. It was interesting to see what Ratigan had in his collection, though whether or not he had actually read all of these was unknown. The selection included popular works of fiction, textbooks (mostly mathematics of course), old and dusty volumes written in languages unknown to me; and I was amused, and a little disturbed, to find a section dedicated to Dr. Dawson's accounts of Basil's cases. But I suppose it made sense as that would be one more way Ratigan could keep track of his enemy and learn more about him. I gathered up a few of these and brought them back to my chair, settling down to immerse myself in the stories. Being a fan of Basil even before we met, I had already read them, some multiple times; but I never tired of it.

Yet I quickly found that reading them only made me miss Basil more. I struggled to keep the tears at bay as I thought of him. I tried not to dwell on what Ratigan had said earlier and instead focused on the good times we had together. I remembered our introduction, how embarrassed and sweet he was when he first asked me to go to the theater with him, the long walks we'd taken through Regent's Park, the beautiful sounds from the Stradivarius in his skilled fingers, our first kiss… I wondered again where he was at this moment, how worried he must be. And I prayed that he was safe.

After some time, realizing that Ratigan would probably be returning soon, I picked up the stack of books to return them to their place on the shelves. However, as I turned around, I nearly ran into a dark shape that had suddenly appeared. Startled, I gasped in fright, dropping the books. I looked up and was surprised to see Fane standing before me. He must have moved too quickly and quietly for my mortal senses to detect.

"My sincere apologies, Miss Amber," Fane said with a small smile. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"That's ok," I replied sheepishly, stooping down to pick up the books. Fane knelt down in front of me as well to help pick them up. As I restacked the books on top of one another, I bent my wrist too far and inhaled sharply in pain, clasping my other hand over the wound. I had squeezed my eyes shut, but opened them as I felt Fane take my hand in his. My heart began to race as he stared at it intently, and I thought that he might help himself to my blood since Ratigan was not present. But he only held it gently, removing an embroidered handkerchief from an inside pocket and gently wiping the blood away.

"Ratigan should take better care of his sources," he said, shaking his head disapprovingly. "If he doesn't, they will all bleed out, and he will eventually run out of stock. Although it is plain to see that you are much more to him than a mere blood source."

"Yes," I replied, wincing as he gently cleaned the wound. "He actually plans to make me his queen soon."

"So I've heard," he replied with a smile. "And yet, you are sad about this, yes?" I simply nodded, glancing down at the floor, unable to meet his gaze. "Ah… you are in love with another," he stated sympathetically, seeming to read my mind. I nodded sadly, then smiled in thanks as he finished cleaning the wound. However, he held me fast, placing his other hand over my wrist. A strange tingling sensation spread on my arm around the wound, and suddenly, the pain simply vanished. Fane removed his hand, I stared my own in shock. The bite mark was completely gone. Not even a scar was left. It was as if the wound had never even existed.

"It seems I still have much to teach the Professor," Fane remarked thoughtfully. "He is still a fledgling after all, and doesn't realize what power he is capable of."

"Thank you," I said gratefully.

"You're very welcome, my dear."

I blushed again, feeling butterflies in my stomach as we were in such close proximity. As he leaned forward slightly, I had the crazy thought that he might kiss me. But it must have been my imagination because he quickly withdrew himself.

"Well," Fane said, standing and helping me to my feet, "It has been a pleasure, Miss Amber, but I must be off. Though I'm certain we will be spending much time together within the coming days."

I felt myself blushing again. "T-The pleasure is all mine… Fane."

After giving a slight bow, he left the room, almost seeming to glide along the floor rather than walking.

Minutes later, Ratigan reappeared to escort me back to my room, and since it was already late, I retired to bed. But my mind refused to stop racing. I considered Fane's parting words, wondering just when I would see him again and what his business was with Ratigan. They were probably plotting some evil scheme together since they were the ones responsible for the murders and kidnappings. But Fane had seemed like a decent enough mouse; actually, he was much like Ratigan in that he seemed to be a courteous, respectable gentleman. But if I had learned anything from my time with the Professor, it was to not be deceived by outward appearances. And if this Count was capable of turning the world's greatest criminal mind into an even more terrifying monster, he must be a force to be reckoned with indeed.

….

I sat in my red armchair by the fire, staring at the dancing flames as the night wore on. Dawson and I had spent the entire day at Janssen's home learning all we could about the creatures of the night from our host; their habits, their abilities… their gruesome diet. The idea that such a dark world existed alongside ours was still a difficult thing to wrap our heads around. What was even more difficult was to think of was that now Amber was immersed in that world. However, I clung to the hope that we now had a plan. After questioning some of his other vampiric friends, Damien had finally learned the location of the ball. Tomorrow, at the crack of dawn, we would begin our hike into the forest in search of Ratigan's lair. I only hoped that we weren't too late…

* * *

**Author's Notes: At last... Amber finally meets the Count! Oh how I've been looking forward to writing more about Fane... He'll be a very big presence in the rest of the fic from now on.**

**So... we also get to see his curious mode of transportation (who will also make another appearance or two). This fox is actually an OC of NightMagican's (a friend from dA) named Gerrit, and is used with his permission.**

**And we can already see that the Count and Ratigan have an... interesting relationship. You can't have two great criminal minds like that in one space and expect them to share the spotlight.**

**Also thought I'd throw in a tiny bit from Basil, letting you know what they've been doing during this time. I'll dwell on them more in the next chapter or so when it gets closer to the ball.**

**Anyway, hope you like it! And a special thank you to those of you who always leave comments and faves and follow this story so faithfully. I really appreciate your continued support and encouragement!**


	9. Ch 8: Plans

Chapter 8: Plans

I awoke the next morning and sat in my bed for a few moments, not sure what I should do. So far, someone would always come in to tell me where to go; but now it seemed I was left on my own. Well, Ratigan had said that this was my home now and I was free to go where I wanted. So I finally got up and quickly got dressed and headed out to do a little bit of exploring.

Opening my bedroom door a bit, I cautiously peeked out into the hallway. No one seemed to be around, so I stepped out and shut it behind me quietly before starting off down the hall. I recognized a few of the rooms I came to from the tour Ratigan had given me yesterday, and eventually found the dining hall where I grabbed a quick breakfast. It seemed that Ratigan's men were late sleepers (or perhaps, since most of them were now vampires, they were nocturnal and slept during the day), and so I dined alone. After that, I set off to continue my exploration of the castle, and eventually came to the library again. I grabbed a random book from a shelf and settled down in a plush leather chair to read to pass the time.

After a few hours of trying to read several different books, all of which I couldn't seem to focus on, I finally stood up and walked around the room a little to stretch my legs. As I passed a large desk, I was interested to find a blank notebook and pencil sitting amidst a bunch of papers scattered around, and so I decided to try drawing for a while. I settled down in the chair again and doodled for a few minutes, and as my thoughts wandered, I found myself drawing a portrait of Basil. It was only a rough sketch, but I couldn't help the pang of sadness that hit as a result. I sighed deeply, wondering when I would see him again, if ever. Well… I certainly wasn't doing any good just sitting around moping.

I glanced around the room and walked over to a set of French doors that let out into a garden. Curious, I tried the latch and was surprised to find it was unlocked. I wondered briefly if this was such a good idea to go outside; but I decided to risk it and went out, taking my notebook with me. If someone questioned me, I would use the excuse that I wanted some fresh air and thought I would go outside to draw the flowers.

I walked around for a few minutes and took a deep breath, inhaling deeply, smelling the sweet scent of roses. As I walked along the path, I could see the faint outline of the forest a short distance away… and I couldn't help wondering if I should attempt an escape. I was sure to not get very far before they noticed I was gone; and since they were vampires now, they would easily catch up to me. Should I take the chance?

_ I don't think that would be very wise, my dear._

With a sharp gasp, I jumped in surprise at the sudden voice and spun around only to find no one there. _Would you stop doing that? _I thought angrily, annoyed at Ratigan invading my thoughts.

_I was merely cautioning you… though I'm sure you can imagine the consequences should you decide to act on your thoughts._

My heart pounded at the thought that he was watching my every move. My eyes scanned the windows of the castle. _Where are you?_ I demanded.

_Close enough to know if you should make an escape attempt. But I have many things to attend to before tonight, and I can't waste my time keeping track of you. Perhaps I should send Fidget down there to keep you company?_

_That won't be necessary_, I quickly replied, recoiling at the thought of having to spend time with that creepy little bat. _What's happening tonight?_ I asked in response to his statement.

_I'm having a little… get-together of sorts. A ball._

_ A ball? _I repeated.

_ I meant to tell you of it yesterday, but I admit I was a bit distracted by the early arrival of the Count. I will tell you the details later. Right now I must attend to getting things ready. Don't stray too far away… there are many dangers out there._

_ Right, _I thought rolling my eyes. But I did as he suggested and stayed in the garden, heeding his underlying threat. I couldn't help shuddering involuntarily, knowing that I was being watched like a hawk the entire time.

And so I settled down on a small bench off the path, opening my notebook to continue drawing. Whenever I was outside, I liked to draw inspiration from my surroundings; so I drew several little sketches from the trees to the grass to a butterfly flittering by.

As I looked up from putting the finishing touches on a rose, my eyes went wide with fear and I froze, petrified at the sight of a fox crouching in the shadows nearby, its eyes glowing yellow in the fading sunlight. Knowing the immense danger I was in, I didn't move, didn't even dare to breathe, hoping that it would just go away.

"Don't be alarmed," a voice said beside me, causing just the opposite. I jumped and let out a small cry of surprise, dropping my notebook on the ground. I was surprised to see that it was the Count who, as always, seemed to appear out of nowhere.

"I'm sorry," Fane said with an apologetic smile. "I didn't mean to startle you. And neither did Gerrit," he added with a chuckle.

I couldn't find my voice and could only stare in fright and wonder as Fane actually approached the fox placed his hand on its neck. "Gerrit?" I asked stupidly.

Fane nodded, stroking the creature's fur lightly. "He is a grey fox of the species_ Vulpus vulpus. _Not only is he an ideal means of transportation across the barren wilderness, especially when we travel so far from home, but he is alsoone of my most loyal and trusted friends_._."

The fox actually seemed to smile at me as he lowered his head politely while Fane introduced him, as if he wanted me to pet him. "It's alright," Fane encouraged, taking my hand in his and touching it to Gerrit's nose. "He is quite friendly and wouldn't hurt a soul… that is, unless I tell him to."

I was still a little nervous, but as I realized that the fox was quite friendly, I relaxed and stroked his muzzle gently. I giggled as he nudged me with his nose playfully. "Nice to meet you too," I said with a laugh.

As I petted Gerrit, Fane knelt down and retrieved my notebook and pencil that I had dropped. He gazed at the drawing with wide eyes. "Did you make this?" he asked.

"Y-Yes," I replied a bit shyly.

"You're an artist, then?" Fane asked with interest.

"Well not professionally," I answered with a shrug. "It's more of a hobby."

"It's just like…" Fane whispered, running his fingers along the page, staring at it in awe. And was I mistaken, or were his eyes misting over? My art had never had that kind of effect on anyone. Besides, it was just a simple rose. Perhaps he was going to say "it's just like the real thing" or something like that. "It's beautiful," he finally said with a warm smile. "You're a very talented young lady."

"Thank you very much, Fane," I replied, returning the smile and feeling my cheeks burning.

As Fane looked down at me, I wondered what he was thinking, why he was gazing at me… almost lovingly, as if he had known me my whole life. I couldn't seem to look away from those dark eyes. Reaching up to touch my cheek softly, he opened his mouth to say something, but must have thought better of it. Instead he lowered his hand, shaking his head as if trying to dispel whatever thought it was, and cleared his throat.

"Would you like to take a walk with me?" he asked.

"Sure," I replied, still a little confused about his reaction. As we walked along the path, he cleared his throat and began another conversation.

"How old are you, Miss Amber? If you don't mind my asking?"

"I'm almost twenty two," I replied. "My birthday is next month."

Fane almost stopped in his tracks. "What day?" he asked curiously.

"The thirteenth," I replied, looking at him strangely.

His eyebrows shot up at that piece of information, but he quickly hid his surprise with a smile. "I only asked because a… a dear friend of mine has the same birthday."

"What a coincidence," I said with a smile.

"Indeed," he remarked so quietly that I wasn't sure that he had actually spoken. "And you are from America, yes?" he continued.

I nodded. "North Carolina to be exact."

"Ah, a lovely state. I passed through briefly during my travels long ago. It's reminiscent of my own home in Romania; rolling hills, deep lakes, beautiful mountain and forests, especially in the autumn when the leaves are changing."

I nodded with a smile, reminiscing about my home. "Do you live in a castle?" I asked curiously.

"I do," he answered. "It is much like this one," he said, gesturing at the impressive structure behind us. He chuckled softly. "I suppose that's one thing Ratigan and I share in common; we appreciate the finer things in life."

I chuckled, recalling Ratigan's extravagant tastes in decorating and even clothing. I then looked at Fane curiously. I didn't know much about the Count, so perhaps this would be a good time to glean a little information.

"How did you two meet?" I asked. "I mean, what led to his becoming a vampire?"

"I actually sought out the Professor myself," Fane replied. "Anyone with a reputation as the 'Napoleon of Crime' is certainly worth meeting. Once I had seen him for myself, I realized that he would make a most valuable ally."

"And so you turned him into a vampire."

"It was part of our bargain." For some reason, I felt my skin crawl as he spoke of changing the Professor. "In exchange for his collaborating with me," he continued, "I would give him power beyond his wildest dreams. I chose the good Professor not only for his… villainous personality," he remarked with a grin, "but also because of his remarkable ability of self-control. I'm sure you know as well as I do of that darker side of his heart, the monster lurking just below the surface. And although most newborn vampires are nearly uncontrollable, unable to restrain themselves and their need to feed, I had no qualms about Ratigan turning because I knew of his ability to control that side of himself. And he has proven that himself. Especially with you," Fane remarked with a sideways glance at me. "I admit that I was shocked when he did not drain you when he brought you here. Though it's obvious that your blood is especially appealing to him. But somehow, he is able to control his thirst. The rat inside him."

I gasped softly, feeling my heart race at the mention of the word "rat." Yet Fane seemed unperturbed by it, not worried at all about Ratigan overhearing or showing any fear of what he would do if he found out what Fane had called him.

"I… I guess he's had a lifetime of experience in learning how to control it," I pointed out. "But it's not something that can be held back all the time. Eventually, it will come out."

I was startled to see a sinister glint in Fane's eyes. "And I can only imagine the power, the fury that erupts as a result."

"It's not a pretty sight to see," I answered quietly, remembering how Ratigan would change from a refined gentleman into a raging seething monster. And now that he was a vampire, how much more horrible would that transformation be should he lose control?

We walked in silence for a few more minutes until Fane spoke again. "Well," he remarked, gazing up at the sky, "the day is almost spent, and the Professor will be missing you. We should return and prepare for the ball."

I nodded, taking his offered arm and heading inside. I still wasn't entirely sure what to think of the Count. On the one hand, he seemed to be a very nice and rather flattering gentleman. But I couldn't help feeling a sense of evil radiating from him as well, especially when he talked of Ratigan. I wondered just what his real purpose was in changing him, and to my surprise, I found myself actually feeling a little concerned for the Professor's sake. But when we parted ways once we got inside, those thoughts were pushed from my mind as I ran into Miss Kitty, who quickly ushered me upstairs to my room to start getting ready for the ball.

…

"There it is, gentlemen," said Damien, gesturing grandly at the familiar structure that towered up against the sky burning with the sun's last rays. "Just as I promised."

"Excellent work, Damien," Janssen congratulated, causing the vampire to bow with a wide grin.

"And thank you," I said with a nod. "If you hadn't found out the location of Ratigan's castle, we wouldn't have had a chance at finding Amber." I glanced over at Dawson, who nodded in agreement. "We are forever in your debt."

"Don't thank us just yet," Janssen replied with a grim smile. "Now the real task begins. We've found the monster's castle… but stealth is of the utmost importance. We may be armed, but if the worst should happen, we will not stand a chance against so many enemies. We need go in, get Miss Amber, and get out. So, how do we get in unseen?"

I quickly related how I escaped the last time and was able to avoid detection from Ratigan's guards by disguising myself as one of them.

"Excellent idea, Mr. Basil," Janssen replied. "Damien has no need of a disguise, since he is on the guest list and expected to be present. You are a master of disguise, so you're the most suitable to infiltrate the actual ball. That way, you will be able to travel places we can't. But remember, the Doctor and I will remain close by in case you need us."

"Wait…" Dawson hissed, dropping his voice to a whisper. "Someone's coming!"

The four of us crouched behind a rocky outcrop as a lone guard came around the path.

"Leave this to me," Damien whispered with a devious grin, and before one of us could protest, he had vanished.

The guard shuffled along, dragging his feet quite noisily and huffing tiredly. "Humph," he grumbled. "I should be in there where the party is. But noooo, us 'mortals' have gotta patrol the grounds for intruders. Stupid vampires."

"Aw, surely we're not all that bad."

The guard whirled around, nearly dropping his gun. He pointed it shakily in the direction the voice had come from. "W-Who's there?" he stammered.

"Oh nobody…" The guard whirled around again to come face to face with Damien, who smiled down at him evilly. "Just another '_stupid vampire'_…"

The guard cried out in fright as Damien's hand locked around his throat, but just as he opened his mouth and brought his fangs to the mouse's neck, Janssen rushed out from behind our hiding spot.

"No!" Janssen yelled. "No bloodshed. We don't need any attention drawn to ourselves. If someone were to pass by and find the body, they would know of our presence."

Damien frowned, then shrugged as he lowered the guard back down to the ground. "Must be your lucky day," he chuckled. He then gazed down into the mouse's eyes. "Now, I want you to do exactly as I tell you, got it?" The guard nodded his head quickly, eyes wide as he stared at Damien as if in a trance. "First, take off your cloak," he instructed. The mouse obeyed. "Now, you will go back inside, sit in a corner, and go to sleep. When you wake up, you won't remember any of this. Only that you had a bit too much to drink from the party and passed out. Understand?"

"I understand," the mouse whispered. It was then that I realized that Damien was using his powers as a vampire to compel the guard. As the poor mouse stumbled off towards the castle, Damien tossed the cloak to me.

"How's that for a disguise?" he asked with a chuckle, tossing the cloak to me.

"It'll work," I laughed, placing the cloak around my shoulders.

"Excellent," Janssen said, then began to outline his plan. "Now we shall have to part ways. Damien will enter with the rest of the guests, while Mr. Basil uses his disguise to blend in and find Miss Amber. The Doctor and I will find a less conspicuous entrance. It is imperative that we arouse no suspicion. I needn't warn you of the dangers of getting caught." We all nodded grimly in response. "Then good luck gentlemen," Janssen said, and we parted ways.

"Be careful, chap," Dawson warned me.

"You too," I replied. I smiled at a sudden thought. "And stay clear of the alcohol."

Dawson glared at me sullenly. "It was one time, Basil, _one time_!"

"Right," I chuckled, placing the hood of the cloak over my head to hide my face. "Now… let's go crash a party."

…

* * *

**Author's Notes: A****t last, we have a little more interaction with Amber and Fane! And then she meets Gerrit up close. And we also see Basil and co.'s strategy for infiltrating the ball (and Damien's being michievous again) We can only hope everything goes smoothly... but seeing as this is no ordinary ball, it's highly doubtful. And Basil's cracking a joke at Dawson because of the whole episode back at the Rat Trap in the movie where Dawson gulped down his drugged drink and ended up dancing on stage with the showgirls. You know he's never going to live that down xD**

**Great Mouse Detective and its characters (c) Eve Titus and Disney**

**Amber, Fane, Janssen, and Damien (c) me **

**Gerrit (c) NightMagican on deviantART (used with his permission)**


	10. Ch 9: The Ball

Echoes in My Mind

_Chapter 9: The Ball_

As I paused for a moment at the top of the stairway, I took a deep breath to try to steady my nerves. The ball had just begun, and I was seconds away from being introduced as Ratigan's future queen. I could hear his voice as he made a small speech, but I didn't focus on the words as the gravity of the situation weighed heavily on my shoulders. This was supposed to be a fun night, but instead of excitement, all I could feel was dread. I had long since abandoned any hope of escape; I had considered trying to slip away during the ball, but it would be a difficult task with so many people around, most of which were vampires. It would be impossible to sneak past just one vampire, let alone a big room full of them.

As to Basil coming to my rescue; I sincerely doubted that that would be possible either. Even if he could have found his way to the castle, how would he infiltrate a vampire ball and get us both out safely? I knew he would stop at nothing to do so, but at the moment I wanted him as far away from Ratigan as possible. No, this was something I would have to face myself.

_This is my life now_, I reminded myself grimly, recalling what Ratigan had said earlier. _I'll just have to get used to it._

Lost in my thoughts, I had barely registered that Ratigan had already spoken the words to introduce me and I realized that that was my cue. Picking up the skirts of my charcoal gray ball gown lined with black lace, I slowly and cautiously made my way down the steps amidst the applause of the guests. About halfway I met Ratigan, who smiled as he took my hand and looped it through his arm as he guided me the rest of the way down. I was actually a bit thankful for the support, as I was wearing some very high heels that should never be worn by a klutz such as myself. Yet I squared my shoulders determinedly and forced a smile on my face as we descended the stairs to begin greeting the guests.

To think that this many vampires existed in Mousedom, remaining hidden for eons, yet living right alongside the rest of the world… I knew that this most certainly was not the entire vampire population of the world, but the sheer number of this crowd was still overwhelming. I honestly hadn't expected this many people to be here.

Yet I didn't see anyone I knew such as Miss Kitty or Fidget. When I asked about this, Ratigan explained that only vampires were invited to attend the ball. No mortals allowed. Except for myself, that is, as well as a few compelled servants who served drinks of whose contents I was sure was appealing to the vampire's sinister appetites. I grew a bit anxious as the guests gazes lingered on me. It didn't help that this stupid dress accentuated my neck the way it hung partially off my shoulders. But I suppose it was strange to see a mortal who still had her free will and was treated as an equal rather than a blood source.

Just as I was wondering where he was, I spotted Count Fane cel Raul make his entrance, surrounded by three of the most beautiful ladies I had ever seen. He was dressed in his normal black attire, in addition to a gold medallion hanging on a red ribbon about his neck; probably something that indicating his title of "Count." I briefly made eye contact with him, and he smiled at me pleasantly. Yet instead of going over to meet him, Ratigan suddenly steered me in the opposite direction. I looked up at him in confusion and was surprised to see a scowl on his face. Although he had allied himself with Fane, it was clear from his actions during the past two days that he wasn't too thrilled with the Count's presence in his domain. I also believed that he might be jealous of Fane's attention to me. Either way, I knew that the two criminal masterminds were likely to clash sometime in the future. There could only be one Napoleon of Crime, and Ratigan wasn't willing to share the spotlight. As we began greeting the guests, Ratigan steered clear of Fane and his ladies, though it seemed he always kept an eye on him.

I had attended one ball with Basil before; granted it was while he was on a case. But I had never been to one as elaborate as this. Sequins sparkled on the ladies' ball gowns as they glided gracefully across the floor; the men wore the nicest and most expensively tailored suits, some with medals or ribbons similar to Fane's indicating their high rank in society; ladies and gentlemen alike were adorned with jewels and precious gems. I felt as if I were in the company of royalty.

"Wow… someone's been making friends," I remarked to Ratigan with a laugh as we made our way through the throng.

"Actually, I have no idea who most of these people are," Ratigan chuckled. "I organized this little get-together mainly to introduce you, but also so that I might become more acquainted with the powerful vampires like Fane; but as yet I haven't really mingled with them. Ah, but _this_ lovely lady I'm sure I've heard of," he added, referring to a lady bat who was approaching us. "You must be Lady Victoria Rose."  
"A pleasure to meet you both," Victoria said with a beautiful but dangerous smile. She had long raven black hair and wore a long, flowing black dress that hugged the curves of her body.

"The pleasure is all mine," I replied, shaking her outstretched hand politely, taking notice of her long sharp claws.

"Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you a descendant from the first vampire?" Ratigan asked his guest.

"Of course! Bats were the first vampires, you know." Victoria laughed, but a moment later, her face grew deadly serious. "The legend is that an evil tyrant, a bat like myself, sold his soul to exact revenge on his enemies, and he became a monster who drank the blood of his victims. He was cursed for his crimes, doomed to be a slave to his thirst for all eternity. Each time someone is changed, they are cursed just as he was, no matter what their species; bat, mouse, dog, or even human. We are all cursed."

I felt a chill run up my spine as she grinned, showing razor sharp fangs. Then she laughed merrily. "But enough of the scary ghost stories. Save a dance for me later?" she added to Ratigan with a flirtatious wink.

"Of course," Ratigan replied with a smile as we parted ways.

We spent some time getting acquainted with several other guests like this. I didn't talk much, as I am generally a quiet person. I wasn't used to being in such a social setting. Ratigan, on the other hand, was in his element, the perfect host, the center of attention. As he stood speaking to a group of males, I felt a bit out of place and stood off to the side, watching the couples that danced to the music of a small band. I jumped slightly as someone beside me cleared their throat.

"Excuse me, Miss?"

I turned to see a gray furred mouse with black hair and dark eyes and wearing a nice dark gray suit and green tie gazing down at me with a handsome smile.

"Hello; my name is Damien Talbot," said the mouse with a graceful bow. "May I have this dance?"

I glanced over to Ratigan, who laughed with the small group gathered around him. I shrugged. What could it hurt? "Sure," I replied with a shy smile, and soon we were hand in hand and dancing in the midst of the other couples.

I wasn't very experienced when it came to dancing, so I kept glancing down at my feet, trying to remember the steps. "Don't be so nervous, sweetheart," Damien remarked with a smile. "You're doing just fine."

"Thanks," I replied, blushing embarrassedly. "So, Mr. Talbot…"

"Oh, no need to be so formal," Damien replied with a handsome smile. "Please, call me Damien."

"Damien… are you a friend of the Professor's?"

"Not exactly," he replied with a shrug. "I haven't had the chance to meet him yet. Seems nice enough; and certainly knows how to throw a party," he added with a grin, causing me to laugh. His dark eyes twinkled mischievously. "But you never know with us vampires. My advice?" I was shocked to suddenly find him so close to my face as he leaned down and whispered in my ear. "_Don't trust 'em_."

I shuddered as he withdrew, and was actually relieved to see Fane appear behind him. "Pardon me," the Count interjected. "May I cut in?"

As Damien turned around he froze, as if recognizing the Count. "Not at all," he replied at last, coming to his senses. "Thank you for the lovely dance, Miss," Damien said, turning back to me and bowing graciously. "I hope we meet again soon."

"You're welcome, Damien," I replied, though I couldn't say I felt the same towards him.

Once Damien had taken his leave, Fane smiled and held a gloved hand out to me. "Shall we?"

I hesitated, knowing how Ratigan felt about Fane. But as his red eyes gazed down into mine, I found myself nodding and placing my hand in his, and soon we were twirling about on the dance floor among the other couples. I recognized the three ladies that had arrived with him dancing with other males; yet as we would pass close by, I was very conscious of their icy glares in my direction.

"What's wrong, Miss Amber?" Fane asked concernedly.

"I don't think they're too thrilled about me dancing with you," I replied nervously, indicating the three ladies, who quickly averted their eyes in embarrassment the moment Fane looked at them.

The Count chuckled in amusement. "I'm afraid they can become quite jealous," he remarked. "They're always competing even amongst themselves, vying for my attention. But they've each had their turn already."

"Who are they?" I asked curiously. "Did they come with you from Romania?"

"Yes," Fane replied. "You see, like Ratigan, I have many servants and minions at my command; though I admit I have a small group of favorites. That young lady is Nadya," he said, indicating a girl with long flowing brown hair that cascaded in curls down her back and wearing a deep burgundy ball gown that was embroidered with gold thread and gems that reflected brilliant colors in the light as she twirled around with her dancing partner.

"That one is Acenith… my jewel of the Nile." The mouse in question had darker brown fur and straight, raven black hair, and was wearing a simple white dress that came down to the floor. But the gold jewelry that adorned her wrists and neck were anything but ordinary.

"And she is Lulu; perhaps my greatest admirer," Fane chuckled, indicating a girl with brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a gorgeous midnight blue gown with golden sequins that shimmered with her every movement. As she passed by close to us, she smiled wistfully at Fane, the look in her eyes showing that longed to be in his arms.

"Of course, there are many more under my command," Fane continued, "but I chose these three to accompany me. I wish I could have brought Ali as well. She is my second in command, my most trusted assistant; which is why I left her in charge of my affairs at home in Romania while I am in London. Also, she has only been with me for a few years, and is only a fledgling, so she is still learning how to control her urges to feed. She has been a terror to the villages in my country for years, earning her the name 'Bloody Ali.' So you understand why I couldn't risk bringing her here to London. It's a shame though; she would have loved this. She is quite a talented dancer. As you are, I might add," he remarked with a smile.

"Thank you," I replied with a laugh, my cheeks blushing in embarrassment, though I was happy to change the subject to something less disturbing. "I'm not very experienced though. Basil taught me the basic steps, but..." I trailed off, feeling a pang of homesickness as I recalled our first dance.

"You must miss him terribly," Fane remarked with a sympathetic gaze.

"I do," I replied sadly, nodding my head. "But if it means he'll be safe, I'll do anything to protect him."

"Even if it means you must spend the rest of your life with the enemy?"

That thought always filled me with fear, but I nodded determinedly.

"That is very noble of you," Fane remarked thoughtfully, seeming a bit impressed. He seemed to hesitate, but decided to go on. "I haven't known you for very long, Miss Amber; but it is clear that you are a compassionate, strong, very brave young woman." His voice had grown quieter, and to my surprise, I detected a bit of longing and sorrow in his tone. "The one who holds your heart is a very fortunate mouse indeed."

As I gazed into Fane's dark eyes, I wondered just what _his_ story was. His past was as mysterious if not more so than Ratigan's. As a Count, he must be rich and famous, and so he could have anyone he wanted. He certainly had no shortage of admirers. But maybe he was like Ratigan in more ways than one. Maybe he wanted something more. From the way he had been acting since we met… maybe he wanted _me_.

My thoughts were interrupted when someone behind Fane cleared their throat and tapped him on the shoulder. I was shocked and a bit nervous to find that it was Ratigan.

"My turn," Ratigan said with a tight smile.

"Of course, Professor," Fane replied, remaining just as polite as ever. "Thank you, milady," he said to me, bowing slightly and pulling my hand up to his lips for a gentlemen's kiss.

"You're welcome," I barely had time to reply as Ratigna looped my hand through his arm and led me away. My heart beat nervously as I wondered how much of our conversation he had heard, and I was afraid that if Fane continued his advances towards me, then Ratigan might lose control of himself. But thankfully, Ratigan didn't dwell on the subject.

"Having fun?" he asked lightly, smiling down at me.

I nodded, returning the smile. But I grew a little nervous as I noticed all the attention that was drawn to us when we were together.

"What's wrong?" Ratigan asked with concern.

"They're all staring…" I murmured anxiously.

"Don't worry about them," Ratigan replied, patting my hand on his arm soothingly. "They're just admiring your beauty."

"Yeah, right," I said with a laugh, but thankful to him for trying to make me more comfortable.

As we walked, it seemed that all the guests began to move aside, clearing a large space in the middle of the floor, and to my surprise Ratigan led me to the center. Taking my hand in his, Ratigan bowed slightly, and I did a small curtsy in response. He nodded in the direction of the band, but only the pianist began to play; a slower, more somber song this time. And then we began to dance once more. I was surprised to see that we were the only couple on the floor, all eyes focused on us.

I gasped as I stepped on the hem of my dress and stumbled, falling against Ratigan's broad chest. "S-Sorry," I whispered, feeling myself blushing deeply in embarrassment to have made a mistake in front of all these people.

"Relax, my dear," he replied with a smile. "Don't worry about the others."

With my heart pounding nervously, I glanced down at my feet to make sure that I wouldn't trip again, but Ratigan squeezed my hand, smiling in reassurance. "It's alright, Amber," he said softly. "Trust me."

And for a moment… I _did_ trust him. Maybe it was just the compulsion talking, though by this point I really couldn't tell if he was using his powers on me or not; or perhaps it was the genuine, almost tender smile he gave me, the feel of his strong but gentle hands supporting and guiding me, the dark eyes that gazed down at me… almost lovingly. I paid no more heed to the audience as I became lost in those eyes, sinking deeper into their murky depths as a familiar feeling stirred in my chest. Yet in the back of my mind I knew that these feelings should have been reserved for… someone else...

As a violin joined in to accompany the piano player, I was reminded of who that someone was. The mournful, plaintive notes of the instrument conjured up the image of Basil in my mind's eye. How devastated, how betrayed he would be had he known that I was feeling such things for his enemy… I wished that it was _he_ that I was dancing with now. I closed my eyes, picturing his face near mine, his sparkling emerald eyes. Suddenly his name sprung forth unbidden from my lips.

"_Basil_…"

I spoke the word in the softest of whispers; but unfortunately, it was loud enough for my dancing partner to hear. He stiffened and froze in place. "_What_ did you say?" he asked, his own voice low and dangerous.

"N-Nothing," I stammered, realizing my awful mistake too late. Ratigan fairly exploded in anger. "You dare to utter _his_ name?!" he growled.

"I'm sorry, Padraic-"

"No!" he interrupted. "If you were, you would have no feelings for that wretched detective. Instead you would love me. I promised you a life such as you never dreamed of, everything you could ever hope for… And yet you still refuse me!" His voice had risen steadily, and for a moment I was afraid that that monster inside him would take over; but thankfully he came to his senses as he glanced around, perhaps embarrassed to have lost his temper in front of all these people. He cleared his throat and straightened his tie, then continued in a calmer, though still threatening voice.

"I've been very patient with you, my dear," he said, stepping towards me. "I gave you the choice to make your own decision when I could just as easily compel you to do whatever I please. But I admit I'm growing very tired of these games." He stopped then and looked off to the side, and to my surprise began to address someone in that direction.

"Perhaps it would be easier for her to make her decision if you would give up this little charade and come out of hiding… _Basil_."

* * *

**Author's Note: Here it is, the chapter you've been waiting for! Hope I didn't disappoint **

**Wow, Amber just cannot stay out of trouble, can she? **

**A couple of OC's introduced, as well as a few brief appearances by some friend's OCs. I'm afraid I can't use anymore though. Please don't be offended if I haven't used yours, but I don't think I can add anymore and still have the story make sense. **

**Basil's side of the story will be in the next chapter so we know what he's been up to **

**The Great Mouse Detective and characters (c) Eve Titus and Disney**  
**Amber, Fane, Nadya, Acenith, and Damien (c) me**  
**Victoria (c) Devilgirl007 on deviantART**  
**Lulu (c) LuluCalliope on deviantART**  
**Ali (c) Cellenia on deviantART**  
***All OC's are used with the creator's permission***

**(By the way, there's another reason why Fane left Ali back in Romania... but you'll have to stay tuned to find out why. Just keep that in mind for future chapters though)**

**And here's the song that Amber and Ratigan dance to: watch?v=vu0POjuX2fQ**


	11. Ch 10: Caught

Echoes in My Mind

Chapter 10: Caught

Suddenly the hood of my cloak was thrown back, exposing my face. I scarcely had time to register what was happening before I found myself being tackled to the floor by two guards. Of course by instinct I tried to retaliate, but as my fist made contact with one of the mouse's face, the affect was the same as if I had punched a brick wall. Caught in their steel grasp, they had fastened my hands behind my back and I was wrenched off the floor and dragged forward to face the host of this lavish party.

"There you are," Ratigan said with a devious smile, glancing down at his golden pocket watch. "Late as usual. I was beginning to wonder if you would show." I ground my teeth together irritably. He always pointed out my tardiness like a professor addressing a lazy student. The smile faded however and turned to an annoyed scowl as he snapped the watch shut. "But of course you always have a habit of dropping in _uninvited_. And your disguises are becoming much less creative. No mustache or beard or false nose this time?" he taunted, earning a few chuckles from the crowd.

"I had to make do…" I retorted, but trailed off as I saw Amber standing beside him, her brown eyes wide with terror. "Did you think I would just sit idly by with Amber in your clutches?" I said more seriously.

"Oh no, I knew you would come," Ratigan replied arrogantly. "In fact, I knew of your presence hours ago, along with the good Doctor and your new friend the so-called vampire hunter."

There were several exclamations of surprise from the crowd of vampires and they began to stir restlessly, murmuring nervously amongst themselves. Ratigan sighed in frustration as he realized what he had said. "Ladies and gentlemen, please," he said to the guests in an attempt to calm them. "One hunter is certainly no threat to such powerful creatures as we are."

That seemed to appease the guests for now. I noticed that he had failed to mention Damien, and I discreetly glanced about the room to find him. Unfortunately, the mischievous vampire seemed to have disappeared. Perhaps he had gone to help Dawson and Janssen. Surely he wouldn't abandon us…

"Let him go, Padraic," Amber said suddenly, speaking up for the first time and tugging on his arm. I was more than a little surprise to hear her address the rat by his first name.

"You know I can't do that, my dear," Ratigan replied with a sigh.

"You promised me that you would leave him alone if I agreed to be your queen."

That little bit of information actually caused me to feel physically sick with horror and loathing. That he would _dare_ to force such a fate on her…

"That was before he decided to trespass on my domain," Ratigan replied to her. "And now, he must pay the consequence."

There were more murmurs among the crowd, some grinning evilly, their fangs flashing in the candlelight. Being vampires, they were eager to see some bloodshed. An idea began to form in my mind. This crowd seemed to hang on every word Ratigan said. Of course that was to be expected since he was their host; but it was as if they were observing how he handled this situation to see if he was worth allying themselves with him. If I could somehow make him angry enough to lose control and cause him to make a mistake… To turn them against him…

"No!" Amber shouted angrily at Ratigan, her hands balled up into fists by her side. "You can't do this; you gave me your word!"

"You can never trust him," I stated, feeling my own anger building and seizing the opportunity to try to sway the crowd. "That polished appearance and gentleman's manners is all a ruse. You can't trust him because he is deceitful. He won't even admit to what he truly is; a vile, demented, _jealous_-"

"_SHUT UP!"_

The rat's voice reverberated throughout the room, his face twisted into a feral snarl. As he crouched down on all fours, muscles bulging beneath his expensive suit to spring, I braced myself for the impact of his body crashing into mine. Yet to my surprise, he stopped and glanced about the room. Some of the guests physically took a step back from him, shocked by his outburst. Even more astonishing was how fast he managed to pull himself together, keeping the monster at bay. This only confirmed my theory. Ratigan was very conscious of the stares directed at him. He couldn't risk losing control, he couldn't let them see how easily I got under his skin, or else they would see him as nothing more than a low newborn unable to control himself. He had to prove that he belonged among them; the higher ranking, most powerful vampires. Panting heavily, with his teeth bared and eyes flashing, he slowly rose back up to his feet.

A chill ran up my spin as the most evil of grins suddenly spread across that rat's face; a grin that told me that I would still suffer in some way for that outburst. However, I grew absolutely mortified as he turned that malevolent smile towards Amber. The poor girl stood rooted to the spot, staring up at him with wide eyes which seemed to glaze over the longer he gazed at her. He held out his hand, and to my astonishment she took it obediently, slowly moving to stand in front of him, her back against his broad chest.

"You know, Basil…" Ratigan said in a remarkably calm voice which chilled me more than if he had reacted violently. "I haven't had a chance to show you my new powers. I'm sure you've heard about my… transformation. Perhaps I should give you a demonstration."

I found myself frozen, unable to speak as I watched Ratigan wrap his arms around Amber, pulling her closer to him. She stared at me unseeing, spellbound, as if he had hypnotized her. My skin crawled as Ratigan tilted Amber's head to the right, placed his lips to her neck as if to kiss her… and then sank his teeth into her flesh.

It was the first time I had witnessed a vampire in the act of feeding; and it was enough to haunt my nightmares for years to come. Not only was the sight of someone… _something_… sinking razor sharp fangs into another creature's throat and drinking their blood, draining the life from them; but the victim was someone I loved dearly. I needed to help her, I needed to move…! But as my brain screamed to act, my limbs would not obey.

"Now then. Of course I realize that Miss Amber is a grown woman with a mind of her own, and is therefore perfectly capable of making her own decisions. So by all means, let's ask _her_ who she chooses. Amber...?"

I could not believe my eyes as Amber embraced Ratigan, placing one hand over his heart and laying her head on his chest. She closed her eyes and actually seemed to smile slightly. But the words that came out of her mouth shocked me most of all.

"_I am yours_."

The feeling was the same as if I had been punched in the stomach. Of course I knew that the words proceeding out of her mouth were not her own; it seemed Ratigan had a much tighter hold on her mind than I had expected, and the more he fed on her, the more control he had over her. Nevertheless, it was a difficult thing to hear. "No…" I stammered helplessly, as if still trying to convince myself. "Y-you're compelling her..."

"Well of course," Ratigan replied with a laugh. "She'll choose you if I don't."

"You just can't take 'no' for an answer, can you?" I shouted angrily, straining against my bonds. "You're spoiled and selfish; stealing and cheating to get what you want— unh!"

Suddenly, with reflexes quick as lightning, he was by my side and jerked my head back, fangs bared and poised above my throat. "You are trying what little patience I have left," he hissed, fangs poised just above my throat, "Now shut up or I will rip out your vocal cords—"

His outburst was interrupted as there was a soft gasp behind him, and we both stared in shock as Amber fainted, from the blood loss or the shock of seeing me in harm's way or a combination of both. Ratigan released me and moved swiftly to catch her before she could hit the floor.

"I'll deal with you later," Ratigan muttered with one last glare at me, gathering Amber's limp body up in his strong arms. "I sincerely apologize for the interruption, ladies and gentlemen, but right now I must attend to my queen and deal with the other intruders. But do not fret; they will be found and dealt with accordingly. Now the party has only just begun, so please continue to enjoy yourselves. And get him out of my sight." I felt a stinging blow to my head before my world went black.

….

* * *

**Author's Notes: Ugh, this was the absolute hardest chapter to write! And it's still so short! Oh well. I was going to try to do more, but I figured this might be a good stopping point. And it's just been so long since I updated, I couldn't wait.**

**So I hope it's ok. I struggled with deciding what Ratigan would do with Basil now that he's been caught. I didn't think he'd kill Basil because of his promise to Amber, but he also wouldn't just let him go because what kind of message is that going to send to his vampire peers? He needs to look like he's in control. Of course he almost lost control this time... Fane will berate him for that later... **

**Thanks for being patient with me as I slowly update this ^_^**

**Oh and the "false nose" and "I had to make do" phrases are tiny references to Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows**


	12. Ch 11: Change of Plans

Echoes in My Mind

Chapter 11: Change of Plans

I had only vague memories of what had happened after I fainted. Glancing up at Ratigan through half lidded eyes as he carried me to my room and gently placed me on my bed; Miss Kitty helping me out of the expensive ball gown and into a nightgown after he had left the room; her leaning over me and dabbing a wet cloth to my forehead as Ratigan looked on a bit concernedly before returning to the ball. And was that Fane I saw lurking in the shadows? It was hard to tell what was dream and what was reality. But I must have drifted off to sleep again, and once I awoke, I found myself alone. Touching my neck gingerly, I winced in pain at the sensitive area. I felt so weak, so tired… all I really wanted to do was go back to sleep, hoping that someday I would wake up and find that this was all just a bad dream…

Yet how could I rest knowing that Basil was once again a prisoner of his worst enemy? I had to help him… somehow…

I threw back the covers and slowly stood to my feet, gripping the headboard for support as the room spun around me. Ratigan had drunk so much of my blood the past few days; no wonder it was so easy for him to control me. I trembled slightly, a bit afraid. If he kept feeding on me at this rate, I would die of blood loss. Or perhaps worse… die with his blood in my system and turn into a vampire like him.

_No_.

I shook my head and squared my shoulders determinedly. So far I had given in to that rat's wishes; but no more. I would _not_ stay here and let Ratigan have his way. I would find Basil and fight to my dying breath to get him to safety.

Taking a few stumbling steps forward, I made my way to the wardrobe and pulled a white robe over my soft gray nightgown, tying the belt around my waist as I crossed the room. I put my eye to the keyhole to see if anyone might be standing guard outside, then cautiously opened the door and peeked out. Much to my surprise, there was no one there. So I didn't hesitate to step out and sneak down the hallway as fast as I could.

…

I let out a quiet moan as I came to, flattening my ears against my head as I was awoken by shrill screaming. Opening my eyes slowly, I was surprised to find myself lying face down on the cold stone floor. My hands were still tied behind my back, so I struggled to sit in an upright position. As I strained my head to look behind me, my heart leapt as I saw a mouse approaching me, his mouth and clothes stained with blood. I was shocked and admittedly a bit relieved to find that my rescuer was none other than Damien.

"Well that was tedious," he remarked sardonically as he removed the restraints from my hands. "Sad to say that it was the most action I've seen all night."  
"I'm sure they'll be plenty more to come before the night is over," I replied, standing to my feet. "And thank you," I added, trying not to look at the grisly seen where the now dead guards lay.

"You owe me a new suit," he replied, straightening his disheveled and bloody attire before casting an impish grin my direction.

"Done," I chuckled. "How did you find me, anyway? I didn't see you in the ballroom when I was caught."

"I was tracking another vampire when I saw the guards pass by dragging you behind them. Can't leave you alone for five minutes without you getting into trouble."

"Who were you tracking?" I asked, ignoring his jibe.

"A very interesting mouse I met through your Amber, actually. I was dancing and having a lovely chat with her when this character interrupted us. However, I was fortunate enough to make the acquaintance of his beautiful entourage and learn a bit about him. He's a Count, apparently; Count Fane cel Rau. What's most interesting is that he exactly fits the description of the mouse who took Janssen's fiancé, Maria. I was standing directly behind him when you were caught so you couldn't see me. I didn't want to rouse any suspicion if we had made eye contact, so remained hidden from you. But it's imperative that I relay this information to Janssen right away. This might be his only chance at getting Maria back."  
I nodded in understanding. "Then you find him and Dawson; make sure they're both alright. I'll keep searching for Amber."

"Try not to get caught this time," Damien smirked. "I don't want to make having to save you a regular occurance."

"Right," I replied with a grin. An instant later he was gone. With a renewed sense of urgency quickening my steps, I resumed the quest to find my dear friend.

…

As I wandered through a long dark hallway, I shuddered from the cold, pulling my robe closer around me. I began to regret leaving the comfort of my room as I realized that I was lost. But after a time I could make out the sounds of what sounded like an argument somewhere up ahead of me. I continued cautiously, tiptoeing across the stone floor making as little noise as possible. The sounds grew louder as I advanced, and I was surprised to recognize one of the voices as belonging to Ratigan. However I couldn't find a door or anything leading to a room, though the voices sounded as if they were right beside me. But at length I came to a small grate in the wall, and as I peeped through I found that I was looking down into a large room lit only by a fireplace.

In the dim light I could make out Ratigan, fists clenched by his side and chest heaving. He was clearly upset about something. He crossed the room in a flash as vampires do and glared down at the other figure that I recognized as Fane, standing still with his hands clasped behind his back and looking on calmly as the Professor fumed.

"This was _not_ part of the plan!" Ratigan growled through clenched teeth.

"Plans change, Professor," the Count replied without flinching at the intimidating rat towering over him. "I gave you the opportunity to prove yourself, and it's clear from your little outburst at the ball that you still have much to learn about self-control."

"There was a problem, and I handled it," Ratigan muttered, his eyes flashing like daggers.

"Not as well as I would have hoped, I'm afraid," Fane replied, shaking his head. "You don't seem to realize the gravity of the situation. Your job tonight was to gain trust in the vampire community, to make them see you as one of them, and in fact, have them look to you as a leader."

"But _she_ wasn't part of our deal."

Shivers went up my spine as Fane grinned, fangs flashing in the scarlet glow of the fire.

"She is now."

My blood ran cold as to who the "she" might be to which they were referring. My fears were only confirmed as they continued.

"My power over her mind grows stronger each day," Ratigan continued. "What use could she possibly be to you when she is already under _my_ control?"

"There is more to Amber than meets the eye, my dear Ratigan," Fane remarked, walking towards the fire, casting a long shadow across the room. "You seek companionship; a Queen to rule alongside you. But I have a greater purpose in store for her. I share your sentiments that she is a beautiful, remarkable woman. But soon it will become clear to you that she is capable of so much more."

I trembled in fear, not understanding a thing he said. What in the world was he talking about? I was just a simple country girl. I wasn't capable of ruling anything, much less an entire country. Here I thought Ratigan was the one I had to worry about, when Fane himself was plotting something as well. What could he possibly have in store for me? However, I didn't want to stick around to find out as Fane continued.

"As I'm sure you're aware, that detective seems to have a habit of thwarting your plans at the worst possible moment. Since your feelings for Amber has clearly clouded your judgment to the point where you didn't have the sense to kill him on the spot, I am taking charge of the plan. So before anything else happens, fetch the girl and bring her here."

I put my hands over my mouth to stifle my gasp so that I wouldn't be discovered. Ratigan only glared with hatred at the mouse. If looks could kill, Fane would have disintegrated on the spot. "How _dare_ you order me around like a common thug, and in my own castle-!"

"Perhaps I'm not making myself clear." Fane whirled around, fixing Ratigan with a piercing gaze. Ratigan stood wide-eyed for a moment, a look of horror passing his face. Then, to my complete and utter shock, he knelt down and bowed to Fane, much as Ratigan had made me do himself. "Bring her to me," Fane repeated, his voice a low hiss. "_NOW_."

With his ears flattened against his bowed head, Ratigan nodded solemnly. "Yes, Count."

My mouth hung open in astonishment. To think that the Napoleon of Crime was taking orders from someone else! I knew what it was like to be compelled first hand, and had been in Ratigan's position; but I was a mortal being controlled by a vampire. If Fane was able to control a vampire as powerful as Ratigan… ?

I didn't have time to ponder it any longer. I backed away from the little window in fright, afraid to make any noise lest I alert Fane to my presence. But as soon as I was some distance away, I sprinted as fast as I could as if Ratigan were already right on my heels. If I was caught now, I might never get away. I had to find Basil before—

…

* * *

**Author's Note: Told you Fane and Ratigan would have a difference of opinions at some point xD Sorry the chapter is so short. I wanted to leave you hanging as always cuz I'm evil like that ^^**

**So it seems Fane has been plotting some devious schemes of his own. Wonder what diabolical plans he has in store for Amber? **

**Music for scene where Fane and Ratigan argue: watch?v=D4YwNY_7w4c&list=PL926B303D8ED769E7**

**Great Mouse Detective and characters (c) Eve Titus and Disney**  
**Amber, Fane, Janssen, Maria, and Damien (c) me**  
**Do not use without permission**


	13. Ch 12: Taste

Echoes in My Mind

Chapter 12: Taste

As I crept down a particularly dark hallway, I cast a nervous glance over my shoulder when I suddenly collided into something, or rather someone as I quickly discovered. The force knocked both of us to the ground, our limbs tangling together as each struggled frantically to get free. Somehow the other person managed to get the upper hand and I found them on top of me. Before they could try to pin me down, I grabbed their wrists and held them fast, though they still struggled in my grip.

"L-Let go of me…!"

I froze, recognizing the voice at once.

"Amber," I said, taking her face in both my hands to hold her still so she could focus on my face. "Amber, it's only me."

She stopped and stared wide eyed, finally recognizing me in the dim light. "Basil," she whispered as her arms wrapped around me in a tight embrace. I sat up and held her in my arms as she buried her face in my shirt, never wanting to let her go.

"Always running into each other, aren't we?" I chuckled.

She laughed nervously. "I'm glad it was you and not another vampire." She looked up suddenly, eyes wide with fright. "We have to get out of here _now_," she said urgently, leaping to her feet and looking back in the direction she had come from as if afraid someone would come around the corner any minute. I nodded and followed as she took me by the hand and led me down the hall.

As we went on our way, she asked how I came to be here. I briefly told her of how after she was kidnapped, we enlisted the help of Janssen and his assistant Damien for their expertise in dealing with vampires, and how after we were finally able to learn the location of Ratigan's castle, we infiltrated the ball. She then explained to me how the Professor had joined forces with the Count and that they were both responsible for the recent murders and kidnappings in Mousedom, and the argument she had just witnessed between them. The most shocking point of all was hearing that the Count had apparently gained control over the Napoleon of Crime.

"Ratigan made a deal with him," Amber said. "If he would join forces with him, Fane promised to give him incredible powers by turning him into a vampire. Only now, it's backfired, and Fane has complete control over him."

"This Count definitely has a larger role in all this," I remarked. "Damien mentioned him being responsible for the disappearance of Maria, Janssen's fiancée; and if the recent crimes are any indication, he's kidnapped and murdered countless others. Now he's gained the control of the world's greatest criminal mind?"

"Whatever Fane's plotting," Amber continued quietly, "he plans to use me too. Ever since we've met, he's acted strange toward me. I've never been able to figure out why. But I suppose it's sort of like what happened with Ratigan; maybe he's fallen in love with me and wants me to rule the vampire world with him, I don't know. But he ordered Ratigan to bring me to him." A look of genuine fear came into her eyes. "As soon as Ratigan finds out I'm gone, he'll compel me to come back. I try to resist, I always do; but whenever he controls me, I'm completely powerless against it."

She stopped suddenly and looked up at me, her eyes filling with tears. "Basil, I'm so sorry about what I said at the ball. I could see how it hurt you to see me being controlled by your worst enemy like that, but I couldn't stop. I-I didn't mean what I said…"

"It's alright, darling," I replied, taking both her hands in mine. "You have no reason to apologize. I have no doubt in you."

"Thank you," she whispered, though still hanging her head ashamedly. She inhaled deeply, almost as if she were smelling my arm. But most likely she was sniffling from crying, and was just hiding her face so that I wouldn't see. Then she suddenly wrapped her arms tightly around my waist, nestling her head against my shoulder.

"Sorry," she said again with a shy laugh. "It's just… I've missed you so."

"The feeling is mutual," I replied with a chuckle, stroking her dark curly hair softly.

"Everything about you," she continued. "Your scent…" She inhaled again and sighed deeply, then looked up at me, the soft glow from the lantern on the wall reflecting in her brown eyes, causing them to take on a dark golden hue. Her voice was low and quiet as she spoke, sounding like music to my ears as it had been so long since I heard it.

"…Your touch…"

My heart pounded wildly as her hands traveled slowly up my chest and came to rest at my shoulders. She reached up to caress my face, and I placed my hand on top of hers as she touched my cheek ever so softly. I wondered at the sudden change in her. She had never been so direct like this. But the feelings I was experiencing in turn were so unfamiliar, so foreign, I didn't know how to react. I simply closed my eyes, just reveling in the thought that we were finally together again. I opened them as her hand moved across my face, and I found myself holding my breath as her fingers brushed my lips delicately.

"…Your taste…"

With my heart rate now completely out of control, I acquiesced and bent my head down and kissed Amber softly. But as her arms wrapped around my neck, she pulled herself closer to me, deepening the kiss. I found my hands gliding down her shoulders and back. We broke the passionate kiss for air, and I shuddered as I felt her warm breath on my neck. Her eyes seemed to grow darker, and I was surprised as she clutched one of my wrists tightly and pinned it to the wall, wincing as her nails dug into my skin. She bared her teeth and hissed as her other hand tangled in my hair, and suddenly she jerked my head back, exposing my neck.

In that moment, my blood ran cold and I froze in shock, realizing her intentions too late as the awful truth dawned on me. Surely she wasn't already one of them…?!

However, instead of the sharp pain I expected, she was suddenly thrown backwards away from me. I slid to the floor, gasping for breath, unable to believe the scene unfolding before me.

Janssen stood between me and Amber, who backed away slowly as Janssen advanced on her brandishing a sharpened wooden stake.

"_No_!" I yelled, struggling to get to my feet, but surprised to find myself being held back by Dawson.

"It's alright, Basil," the doctor tried to explain, "he knows what he's doing—"

But I refused to listen and continued to fight against him until Damien had to step in as well. Feeling betrayed by my own so-called friends, I thrashed about in their grip to no avail as I watched Janssen continue to stalk Amber until she had backed into a corner. She crouched down on all fours and hissed, baring her teeth like a feral animal. However, as Janssen came closer with the stake, her attitude changed and she actually whimpered, turning her head away and shrinking back in terror.

"Leave her alone!" I shouted, but the vampire hunter ignored me and crouched down in front of Amber. He began muttering something in a foreign language, and Amber glanced up at him. Janssen held a hand out toward her as he spoke, and her eyes glazed over just as they had when Ratigan had compelled her. Suddenly she went limp and collapsed to the floor with a soft moan, unconscious.

"Wha… W-What just…?!" I whispered, unable to form a coherent sentence as Dawson and Damien finally released me.

"I assure you, I did her no harm," Janssen explained, returning the stake to a loop inside his belt while I knelt down beside her. "I merely put her in trance; she's only sleeping."

Dawson appeared beside me and checked her vital signs for any further injury. Janssen shook his head solemnly. "I'm afraid it's her mind that has suffered the most; the villain has more control of her than I expected. It is fortunate that we came along in time to stop her from feasting on your blood."

I looked down at her fearfully, horror growing in the pit of my stomach. "You mean she… she's…!"

"No, no, not yet," Janssen replied, to which I breathed an enormous sigh of relief. "But she is terribly close. When a person has so much vampire blood in their system, they begin to take on the traits of a vampire, such as heightened senses of hearing and sight; even a thirst for blood… especially the blood of those that they love most."

I cradled her head in my hands, looking down at her with a mixture of horror and pity. Even if her intentions had been sinister, I still loved her.

"But if she dies within the next 2 or 3 days…" Janssen didn't need to finish the sentence for me to see the result.

"Well we need to keep moving if we're going to stop that from happening," Damien urged.

"Yes, we must escape with all haste," Janssen agreed. "The further she is from the Professor, the less his power over her will be. And in time, when his blood is no longer in her system, the connection will be cut off completely."

I quickly gathered her up in my arms and carried her as we continued our escape. With Damien's guidance through the dark tunnels, at last we felt the cold night air on our faces. With the light of the moon to guide us, we sprinted through the forest as fast as our legs could carry us, away from that dark castle and its sinister inhabitants.

...

_Amber_…

I moaned softly, not wanting to wake up from my peaceful sleep. But the voice wouldn't leave me alone.

_Amber… Amber_… _Come to me_…

I opened my eyes suddenly, realizing who the voice belonged to.

_He_ was calling.

I sat up slowly, feeling as if my head weighed a ton. I rose to my feet shakily, taking a few stumbling steps forward, feeling something crunching beneath my feet. Leaves, maybe? I couldn't be sure. Everything was so foggy...

Suddenly the world was a blur as something grabbed me and spun me around. I could see the dark outline of something tall leaning over me. It grabbed my arms, pinning them by my side. I could make out a murmured sound coming from the dark figure, but it sounded so far away, I couldn't be sure what it was saying. However, I heard _his_ voice loud and clear, calling my name, bidding me come to him.

"Master is calling," I said in a small quiet voice, trying to explain to the figure holding me, struggling to get free. "I m-must go to him…"

But whatever was holding me only tightened its grip and continued to make those murmuring noises, sounding more urgent this time. I felt like I was pressed against them, as if they were hugging me tightly. But as I heard _his_ voice call my name, I knew I had to get free.

"Let go," I said, still struggling. "Please let me go; he needs me!"

However, the thing still kept a tight hold on me. I saw others standing behind it, perhaps four bent over me and watching me. I felt a hand put over my mouth to keep me quiet, and I panicked, kicking out as hard as I could. But I still felt so groggy from sleep, as if a fog lay over my mind, making my limbs feel so heavy.

Suddenly even more black figures appeared, hissing as they approached. My voice must have attracted them. I couldn't tell for sure what was going on, but it appeared that the newcomers were attacking the ones who had been standing over me, and a massive fight ensued. I covered my ears against the harsh shrieking that came from these new creatures. One seemed to hover over me, but suddenly red erupted from its chest and it let out an ear-splitting shriek of pain. As it fell, the first figure I had seen knelt down beside me and picked me up, carrying me away from the chaos. Further away from _him_.

I struggled again, seeking to get away from this shadow, who strangely seemed to hug me close to his chest protectively, fighting against any who tried to take me from him. Something grabbed him from behind, lifting him off the ground, and I felt myself falling. I groaned as my head hit the ground and curled up in a ball, putting my hands over my head to protect me and trying to drown out the sounds of the battle.

_Do not be afraid_, came the voice again. _I am near_…

I looked up, searching for the source of the voice.

_ Come…_

I crawled forward on my hands and knees for a little ways, away from the horrible sounds of the fight, until finally I got the strength to stand up. I staggered forward, calling out to him softly.

"Where are you?"

_ I am here._

At last, I saw him, standing tall and regal in the pale light of the moon. I smiled, urging myself on faster. Just a little further and I would be safe in his arms. I stumbled and fell, putting my hands out to catch myself, but found myself caught in his strong arms. I looked up to him gratefully, smiling in relief…

Until my eyes began to focus on the face. It was familiar, yes… But not the face I had been expecting. Not the face that belonged to the voice… I tried to call out to my master, but was paralyzed by the force that this creature was extending over me. I felt the world growing black again as I was engulfed in the darkness, a power infinitely more evil and more frightening than anything in this world. I whispered my captor's name in fright as my eyes closed.

"_Fane_."

...

* * *

**Author's Note: Well this was a fun chapter to write xD Not so sure I did as well with this one though. I don't know. I hope everything's making sense, with all the vampirism and Fane and Ratigan's plans and everything. And the whole hypnotism/mind control thing. I hope I'm not confusing people! But if I am, just ask and I'll (attempt) to explain ^^'**  
**Poor Amber... she just can't get a break can she? That's what she gets for being the perfect damsel in distress XD**

**As always, thanks for reading.**

**Basil, Dawson, and Ratigan (c) Eve Titus and Disney**  
**Amber, Fane, Janssen, Damien, and other characters (c) me**  
**Do not use without permission**


	14. Ch 13: Truce

Echoes in My Mind

Chapter 13: Truce

As the last of the terrible screams died down, I stared about the carnage in a daze. Amber's voice had attracted them to our hiding spot in the woods where we had paused to rest. We had been ambushed so suddenly, we scarcely had time to react. In the midst of the fight, I tried to carry her to safety, shielding her as best I could and shooting any vampire that tried to stop me using silver bullets provided by Janssen.

The vampire hunter himself proved to be an expert marksman with his crossbow, taking down every opponent with the skill and experience of a master hunter. Damien was as ruthless as ever, fighting like a demon and taking on five other vampires at once. Even Dawson's military instincts came out as he stayed close by my side, trying to clear the way for me to take Amber to safety. I had finally broken away from the fray, but suddenly found a hand around my throat and was jerked upwards, causing me to drop Amber. I struggled in the grip of a vampire twice my size, fangs barred and red eyes flashing. My vision began to blur as his grip tightened around my neck, but just as I was about to lose consciousness it seemed as if his head exploded and he fell. I caught my breath and looked up from my place on my hands and knees to see Dawson shooting several more rounds into the monster's body to ensure that it wouldn't rise again.

I then wandered around the surrounding area, stumbling over bodies with stakes or silver tipped arrows protruding from their torsos, the stench of blood making my stomach churn. I had searched the spot where I had last seen Amber and was shocked to find her footprints leading away further into the woods… until suddenly they just stopped. It was as if she had disappeared from the face of the earth.

Kneeling down by the spot where she last stood, I heard a slight sound behind me, and my ears twitched in that direction. But before I could react I felt myself lifted bodily into the air. The breath whooshed out of me as I was slammed into a tree. Once the starbursts faded from behind my eyes, I looked down to see Ratigan clutching the lapel of my jacket.

"Where is she?!" he snarled in my face, yellow bloodshot eyes glaring.

I struggled in his steel grip, though I couldn't move much with my back pressed up against the tree. "I should be asking you the same thing, you slimy, mangy, son of a—"

He cut me off by slamming me against the tree again. "You mean you lost her?!" he roared.

"Ugh, I didn't lose her," I hissed, wincing from the impact of my skull with the rough tree bark. "She was taken! Taken by you vampire _scum_!" I swung a good right hook at his face, but I would have been better off trying to punch a solid stone wall.  
"Do not make the mistake of comparing me to that bloody Count," Ratigan threatened, his grip tightening around my neck.

"Th-The Count?" I asked, trying to pry his hands from my throat. "You mean, you don't… she's not with you?!"

"Of course not! I was trying to find her before he did, but it looks like you've managed to foil everything as always. Now there's no telling what he's going to do with her, and it's all because of YOU!" He slammed me into the tree again for emphasis.

"_You're_ the one who kidnapped her in the first place!" I retorted.  
"If I didn't, someone else would! Face it, Basil; so long as she remains with you, she will always be in danger!"

That was a low blow. "You think I don't know that?" I shouted in frustration. "That I haven't done all in my power to keep her safe?"

"Lot of good it's done, hasn't it?"

"Now see here!" Dawson interjected, coming to my aid. "There's no need for all this—"

"Stay out of this chubby," Ratigan growled.

"But the doctor's right," Janssen intervened. "Fighting is getting us nowhere, and each second that passes, that fiend is getting further away, and our chances of rescuing Miss Amber become slimmer. Now I know you two have a bitter history, but you must put all that aside for her sake. Professor, do you know where Fane might be taking her?"

"Probably to his castle in Romania."

"Could you take us there?"

Ratigan chuckled harshly. "Why the blazes would I bring you along?"

"Because we stand a better chance against Fane if we work together. Now we can sit here arguing, or we can leave immediately with all haste to try to catch up with them."

Ratigan and I glared at each other for a moment, loath at the thought of having to put aside our differences and work together. However, he finally released me, and I stood for a moment with my hands on my knees, panting tiredly. I shook my head at the irony of the situation. Although I hated to admit it, I needed his help. "So…" I finally remarked, extending my hand hesitantly. "A truce then?"

"Fine," Ratigan growled, taking my offered hand and shaking it, though he nearly crushed it with his strength. "But I'm not doing this as a favor to you," he quickly added. "I'm doing it for Amber."

"Understood," I replied, wincing at the pain in my hand. I wondered if this was such a good idea after all…

….…

"Well, well…what do we have here?"

As I came to I sat up with a gasp, looking around in fright, not knowing where I was. I whirled around to find an amazingly beautiful female rat, a picture of elegance with her soft white fur and long auburn hair flowing down her back, a black formfitting dress that emphasized her curves… especially with the little cutouts on the sides exposing her perfect figure. She sauntered toward me with a smirk, followed by three other female mice whom I recognized as Fane's entourage at Ratigan's ball.

"You must be the little wench Master Fane keeps talking about," she remarked, tilting my chin up with a sharp claw to get a better look at my face. I felt my cheeks burning in embarrassment and I glared at her for a moment, but then averted my gaze down to the floor, feeling intimidated by the beautiful dark brown eyes with a faint bit of red around the edges. "I've been _dying_ to meet you though." She chuckled softly, amused at her choice of words. "I'm Ali. Or 'Bloody Ali' as the locals have taken to calling me."

Before I could respond, the other three ladies appeared around me, examining me closely.

"Wonder what's so special about her that he would bring her all the way here to Romania?" Lulu asked curiously.

"Probably wanted some fresh young blood," Nadya remarked with a devious grin.

"Mmmm, she does look delicious," Acenith agreed, leaning in a little too close for comfort. I shrank back, but in a flash she had grabbed my wrist to hold me in place. "Perhaps just a small taste…"

"Now, now, ladies," Ali interrupted, pulling me away from them. "We must deliver her to Master Fane in one piece. Maybe he will let us have a bit of fun with her afterwards. Come along now, dear; we can't keep him waiting." Before I could protest, I was jerked up off the couch and led away, unable to get free of their tight grip.

As I was pulled along, I glanced around at my surroundings, finding myself in another castle that was even older and larger than Ratigan's. I didn't get to look around much though because of the ladies hastily pulling me down the halls. I gulped nervously at the thought of seeing Fane again. I _knew_ something was suspicious about him, ever since we first met. Now the question was why did he kidnap me and what did he want?

It looked like I would have the answer soon, because a minute later we were entering the large oak doors into the largest library I had ever seen. Bookcases lined every wall, extending all the way up to the vaulted ceiling. And there sat Fane in a leatherback chair, the glow of the fireplace casting dark shadows all around him. I was pushed forward a bit roughly and stumbled over my feet, tripping and falling on my knees in front of him, much to the amusement of the four ladies, who all migrated across the room to take their places by Fane.

"Mortals are so clumsy," Nadya snickered, causing the others to laugh.

"Ladies, please," Fane reprimanded softly, his voice a low but dangerous purr that seemed to mesmerize them. "That's not how we treat our honored guest."

"It won't happen again, Master Fane," Lulu spoke for all of them, bowing slightly, but glaring daggers at me as Fane helped me to my feet.

"I have some business to discuss with Miss Amber," he said, "so you are all dismissed."

As the ladies reluctantly passed by me to leave the room, I let out a sigh of relief, glad to not be subject to their icy stares. But suddenly I found my arms pinned to my sides as Ali gripped my shoulders tightly, the long claws nearly tearing through the fabric of my dress and piercing my skin. "I don't know what Master Fane sees in you," she hissed, eyes narrowed and teeth barred threateningly, "but I suggest you stay away from him. He's _mine_, and _no one_ is going to take him away from me."

"Ali…" Fane warned.

"Apologies, Master," she replied, though I could see she most certainly was not sorry in the least. Casting one final warning glance over her shoulder at me, she exited the room behind the others. I shuddered involuntarily at her threat.

"You must forgive Ali, my dear," Fane remarked with an apologetic smile. "She is still a fledgling and hasn't mastered her emotions just yet. And I am terribly sorry for bringing you here so suddenly and without warning. But I knew Ratigan wouldn't be too fond of the idea."

"Is that why you brought me here?" I asked. "To get me away from him?"

"In a way, yes. But also because… I need your help."

I raised one eyebrow suspiciously. "With what, exactly?"

Fane paused a moment before continuing, as if deciding what course to take with the conversation. "Are you familiar with the term 'doppelganger?'" he asked at last.

I pondered for a moment, confused by his question. "Isn't that someone who looks identical to another person?"

"That is one definition, yes," he replied. "Another is that it is a ghostly double that haunts its living counterpart. In some cultures it is believed that seeing one's doppelganger is a sign of back luck, or even an omen of death. But I'm sure you don't believe in such superstitions."

"Well I never believed in vampires either," I admitted with a shrug.

"An excellent point," Fane chuckled. His expression then turned somber again. "You know," he remarked quietly, "perhaps the most terrible drawback to being a creature of darkness is the lack of companionship. I do have my followers and servants, but it's not the same. But it's difficult to become close with anyone because of what I am. That is my curse; to be slave to my thirst, forever alone."

I was surprised to find myself sympathized with him. "I'm so sorry," I remarked quietly.

"Such is the fate of a creature of darkness," he replied with a sigh. "But I haven't always been alone. For a brief time… I was even loved."

Fane paused, as if hesitating whether or not to continue. I waited patiently while he gazed into the fire, finding the words to say.

"Her name was Adrianna," he said at last with a loving smile. "Her father was a general in my army. I knew we could never be together because of what I am, but still, I found myself falling in love with her. The most amazing thing is… she loved me in return; even after discovering my terrible secret. She came upon me in the midst of feeding on one of my servants. However she didn't run in terror as others did; she didn't even shrink back at the sight of blood staining my lips." Fane hung his head in shame, grimacing at the memory. "I even shouted at her, told her she should never see me again, threatened her… But she approached me with a look of sympathy… _sympathy_ for someone like me… I warned her to get away, that she might be my next victim if I lost control again; but she didn't leave. Despite my curse, she loved me, and stayed by my side. We even became engaged. But…"

A look of infinite sorrow crossed his face. "Because of my ruthlessness in battle and apparent thirst for bloodshed, the townsfolk were so superstitious that rumors began to circulate, and I had gained such a negative reputation that her father forbade the marriage. But that didn't stop us. We married anyway, and as a result, he disowned her. "But even after that, he still wouldn't leave us in peace. He convinced the townsfolk that I was a demon, that I had corrupted his daughter and would do the same to their children. A mob stormed the castle, seeking to destroy me. I and what little followers I had fought them as best we could, but we were simply outnumbered.

"While trying to get Adrianna to safety, her father followed, shooting arrows at me. One pierced my back, but it didn't deter me, and I whirled around and attacked him. He let another arrow fly, but it missed, and I sank my fangs into his throat. As I looked down into his fearful eyes, he pitifully begged for his life. I called him a coward, along with many other derogatory names, disgusted at the way he had treated his daughter; and in my anger I snapped his neck, killing him instantly. But Adrianna's cry brought me back to my senses, and to my horror… I saw that the arrow meant for me had pierced her chest.

"I hastily carried her away to the only person I knew could help her; a witch that lived deep in the woods on the outskirts of town. But unfortunately, it was too late to save her. I held her in my arms as she died; watched the life fade from her usually bright eyes. But just before she faded away, the witch cast a spell that preserved her soul inside the gem of a necklace that Adrianna was wearing. She showed me another spell that would bring her back; but it won't work without a doppelganger.

"I've been around the globe many times, traveling the world to find this one who would finally reunite me with my love; and now… my efforts have been rewarded at last…"

Fane stopped suddenly and looked up at a portrait on the wall. As I followed his gaze and studied the girl in the painting, my eyes went wide and my heart nearly froze in shock. She was young, perhaps in her early twenties, wearing a gorgeous pale dress embroidered with gold; but it was that face, framed by shoulder length curly brown hair and deep brown eyes, that was the source of my astonishment.

...The girl in the portrait was _me_.

I trembled as I felt Fane's soft breath on my neck as he leaned in close from behind me. "You are Adrianna's doppelganger."

* * *

**Author's Notes: Whew, that chapter was hard to write... But now we finally know what Fane is up to! Sort of... he'll explain more in the next chapter ;)**

**Gasp, Ratigan and Basil have to work together?! THE HORROR... Heh maybe they can put their rivalry aside long enough to save Amber (and not kill each other in the process)**

**Hope you like it! ^^**

**Basil, Ratigan, and Dawson (c)Eve Titus and Disney**  
**Amber, Fane, Acenith, Nadya, Janssen, and Damien (c) Me**  
***Bloody Ali (c) Cellenia**  
***Lulu (c) LuluCalliope**

***OCS were used with the creator's permission**


	15. Ch 14: Enemy Territory

Echoes in My Mind

Chapter 14: Enemy Territory

My mind raced as the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. "That's why you've been so interested in me," I said to Fane. "Ever since we met…"

The vampire nodded solemnly. "When I first laid eyes on you in the Professor's library," he replied, "it was all I could do to refrain myself from showing my astonishment. I thought my senses were deceiving me. The resemblance is remarkable."

I glanced back up at the portrait of the young woman on the wall. He was right; it was like looking in a mirror.

"But it goes far beyond the physical appearance, Miss Amber," he continued. "Everything about you: your personality, your mannerisms, your shy nature…"

As I took a step back, I bumped against a side table, knocking over a small picture. I glanced down and gasped as I saw the drawing inside the frame; a bouquet of roses… just like the ones I drew in Ratigan's garden.

"…Even your artist abilities," Fane added. "Just like my Adrianna."

I recalled Fane's reaction to seeing my drawing of the rose when we were in Ratigan's garden, how shocked and amazed he had seemed. After seeing this picture made by Adrianna, it made sense why he acted that way. Fane had seemed to take an even greater interest in me that day, asking about things such as my home, how old I was… I suddenly realized that Adrianna must have been the "friend" he was referring to when he said they shared the same birthday as me.

Fane sighed and shook his head sadly. "You've no idea the pain and suffering I have endured all these years." Fists clenched by his sides, a pained expression crossed his face and when he looked up again I was shocked to see tears in his eyes. When he spoke again his voice shook with emotion. "What good is being immortal when you have to spend an eternity alone? It is a fate infinitely worse than death."

For some strange reason, I couldn't help feeling just a tiny bit sorry for the poor mouse. He was a bit like Ratigan in that respect. Even if he was a criminal, a monster… no one deserved to be alone. I couldn't imagine being separated from Basil forever. The thought terrified me.

Chills went down my spine as he suddenly let out a mirthless chuckle. "But I have paid for my sins long enough." My heart fluttered in fear as Fane stepped toward me, a dark gleam in his red eyes. "I've spent decades… nay, _centuries_… searching for you, Amber."

As Fane gazed down at me, I felt as if I would drown in those dark, haunting eyes. "Fane, listen to me," I insisted, backing further away from him. "I'm sorry for what happened to you both… no deserves that. But I'm _not_ Adrianna."

"But you are her doppelganger," Fane replied, "and therefore the only one who can help me. Since I first gazed into your eyes-the same deep, dark, intelligent orbs as my love's- I knew you were the one."

"The one for what?" I whispered, though I dreaded to know the answer. I suddenly felt my back against a wall and found myself trapped. I shivered as Fane reached up and brushed a stray curl away from my face.

"The one who will free Adrianna's soul."

I gulped nervously, though I tried to hide the fact that I was trembling slightly. "You said there was a spell to bring her back. So what do you need _me_ for?"

"Because the spell will only work with a doppelganger."

The more I heard about this "spell," the more my fear grew. I already felt like I was about to start hyperventilating.

"T-There must be another way—" I stammered.

"Don't you think if there was another way that I would have tried it already?!" Fane suddenly shouted, his normally handsome features twisted into a snarl. Having never seen him act this way, I was shocked and terrified by the outburst. But he instantly regretted it and turned away, sighing tiredly as he ran a hand through his hair. "My apologies, Miss Amber. But wouldn't you be willing to go to any lengths, do anything in your power, to be reunited with the one you love?"

"Yes," I whispered softly, wishing Basil was there with me right now.

"Then perhaps you understand my situation."

He had a point. I probably would have done the same thing if I were in his position. "When..." I had to stop and swallow the lump in my throat. "When will you do the… the spell?"

"Tonight."

So soon. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. I wouldn't even have a chance to tell Basil goodbye; to tell him I loved him…

I felt Fane's hands rest on my shoulders. "I am sorry that it has come to this," he said quietly.

_Not sorry enough to not go through with it_, I thought bitterly, pulling away from him only to be grasped firmly by my arms and held in place.

"The spell will require a great deal of power," Fane continued, tilting my face up to look at him. "and I will need all my strength to perform the ritual. How fitting it would be for your blood- the blood of the doppelganger," he added, his red eyes taking on a dark hue, "to provide me with the power I need."

My eyes widened as his meaning sunk in. I pulled away again and made a dash for the door, but gasped as Fane grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to him. "No, l-let me go-!" I demanded, all to no avail. I then cried out as his fangs sank into my flesh. "S-Stop…" I whispered, beginning to struggle again, but Fane's hands snaked around my waist to hold me firmly in place. With my back against his broad chest, I tried to pull his hands away to get free, but to no avail. "Fane, stop," I pleaded. "Please…"

The world around us faded, and all I was conscious of was him holding me in his strong arms. Sensing a dark fearful shadow wrapping around my mind, one similar to the one I experienced when being compelled by Ratigan, though much bigger and radiating an infinitely darker and more ancient evil, a panicked scream began to build up in my throat. However, I was silenced as Fane whirled me around and pressed his lips to mine. It was an equally soft yet forceful and almost desperate kiss, as if he were afraid to lose me.

_This can't be happening… it's all a dream, _please_ let it be a dream…_

As my legs gave out beneath me, Fane gathered me up in his arms. Carrying me over to a sofa in front of the fireplace, he gently lowered me down onto my back and brought his mouth down to my neck again as he hovered over me. I placed my hands against his chest in a feeble attempt to push him off, but was too weak to do so. After what seemed like an eternity, he raised his head and sighed deeply, his thirst apparently satisfied. I was vaguely aware of him raising me up slightly and sitting down, holding me in his arms. I watched in confusion as he unbuttoned his shirt and then, to my horror, made a cut below his collarbone with a sharp claw, causing blood to flow freely. As he cradled my head against him, he compelled me to drink… and I was powerless to refuse.

…..

As the wind howled through the trees, I drew the collar of my coat up higher to shield my face from the cold. I wore old worker's clothes beneath my large gray overcoat, not risking the possibility that I would be too recognizable in my Inverness coat and deerstalker hat. I hadn't slept in well over twenty-four hours. Even if I had had the chance, I knew I wouldn't be able to knowing that Amber was in such danger. Instead my mind was tortured by the thought that she was now in the clutches of Fane cel Rau.

After finally reaching the Count's homeland, we had spent some time among the locals trying to learn more about the vampire, who had quite the reputation here in Romania. From the legends and stories they told us, it was clear that he was feared throughout the land. They told us he lived on the mountain overlooking the village, but no one seemed to know the exact location, and the few who had found it had never returned.

We considered hiring a guide to take us at least partway up the mountain, but we wanted no attention drawn to ourselves, and from the way they spoke of the vampire it was clear that no one would be willing to guide us on such an endeavor in the first place. And so we found ourselves hiking up the mountain in search of the vampire's lair.

Our little group paused for a brief rest. Trudging through the snow at this high altitude was difficult work and was taking its toll on our bodies. However I paced back and forth restlessly, anxious to be on our way again as time was of the essence. Breathing raggedly and feeling as if a panic attack were about to take over, I felt Dawson's comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Hang in there, chap," he said softly. "We'll get her back." The exact words I had said to him during the Flaversham case when Fidget had kidnapped Olivia in the human toyshop. I turned and regarded the mouse smiling up at me encouragingly. I never give Dawson enough credit. In times when I was at my lowest state, there he was to pick me up again. A brave military veteran with the kindest heart of anyone I had ever met, he was so much more than my most trusted and loyal colleague and biographer… he was my best friend.

"Thank you, Dawson," I replied with a grateful smile.

Ratigan, who had been scouting ahead, soon returned with a scowl on his face.

"Any luck?" Janssen asked.

"He's near," the rat replied with a nod. "But if I can sense him, that means he's sure to sense me as well. He'll know we're coming."

"So much for the element of surprise," Damien remarked sardonically.

"He'll most likely be expecting us," Janssen admitted, "but Ratigan is our only connection to him." He gestured ahead with a grim smile. "Lead the way, Professor."

As we resumed our journey, a thought that had been lingering in the back of my mind was brought to the forefront again. This connection Ratigan had to Fane could actually prove to be our demise. What if the Count was in fact controlling him now, luring us into his trap? What if he turned on us? He was my enemy after all. He had spent years trying to destroy me. Here in a foreign country deep in the woods where there was no shortage of places to hide a body; this would be the perfect opportunity to get rid of me once and for all.

"Please, Basil," came a chuckling voice from behind me, causing me to jump in surprise, "if I really wanted to get rid of you, I'd have ripped out your heart when I found you sticking your nose into my business as usual."

"How did-? Ugh, never mind," I trailed off, massaging my temples as my head pounded from a migraine. "So why haven't you killed me yet? You've certainly had plenty of opportunities."

"For the same reason you asked for my help. As much as I hate to admit it, your intelligence nearly equals my own." I rolled my eyes at that statement, my fur bristling at his use of the word _nearly_. "And two minds such as ours will stand a better chance against Fane if we face him together. And besides… Amber is counting on us."

We walked on in silence for a few moments before Ratigan spoke up again.

"I am truly sorry she got mixed up in all this," the rat admitted, much to my surprise. "I know you don't trust me—as well you shouldn't," he added. "But I honestly had no idea that Fane would involve her. She was not part of our bargain." Ratigan clutched his fists tightly in anger. Perhaps he really did care for Amber as I did. Either way, if he hadn't kidnapped her she wouldn't be in such danger—

No. If she had never met _me_, she wouldn't be in this mess to begin with. However, I pushed the thought aside to focus on the task at hand, and was glad for the distraction as Ratigan continued.

"I've been wary of the Count since we first met," he said. "But stupidly, I ignored my suspicions about him and let him inside my domain. I only allied myself with him thinking that I could use him, that he would help me gain more power; but the tables have turned."

I nodded, knowing that Ratigan was used to being the one in control, not the other way around. "Not so fun being a pawn is it?"

With a snort of annoyance, Ratigan threw a glare in my direction. "Don't push me, detective," he warned. "Just because I agreed to help doesn't mean I won't hesitate to sink my fangs into your scrawny neck."

"If you two lovebirds are done," Damien interjected, folding his arms over his chest and tapping his foot impatiently, "I think it's about time we come up with a plan of attack."

"Damien is right," Janssen agreed. "This is no ordinary vampire we're dealing with. If the stories told by the locals are true, Fane is one of the oldest, most powerful vampires to ever walk the earth. We need to be prepared for the battle ahead."

We certainly had no shortage of weapons among the five of us. We were each armed with wooden stakes and guns loaded with silver bullets. But Janssen spoke of preparing ourselves mentally as well.

Suddenly Ratigan stiffened, pausing to sniff the air curiously as his ears twitched as if he had heard something.

"Do you sense him, Professor?" Janssen asked excitedly. The rat only nodded with grunt in response, the fur on the back of his neck standing on end and a wild look appearing in his eyes. "Then we must be close," Janssen responded, shifting the quiver of silver-tipped arrows and crossbow on his back as his pace increased towards our target.

After what seemed like an eternity, at last a dark structure loomed out of the darkness ahead of us. Fane's castle was a veritable fortress, its tall towers jutting up into the sky, casting dark shadows from the setting sun.

"Prepare yourselves, gentlemen," Janssen remarked quietly, starring up at the castle with a determined look in his eyes. "Once we enter the demon's lair, there is no turning back."

Whether he believed that Maria was still alive and being held prisoner by Fane or not, it was hard to tell. But one thing was certain as the hunter starred up at the castle; he would exact revenge for his fiancé. My heart skipped a beat as I wondered if Amber had suffered the same fate… No, I couldn't think like that. I had to keep my head clear.

"Then let's not waste time," Ratigan said, echoing my sentiments exactly as he once again took the lead.

…

It wasn't long before we found ourselves inside the fortress. Using a secret passageway Ratigan somehow found, we were able to gain entrance without being discovered. However, the place was crawling with guards. We tried to remain hidden as much as possible; but if confronted, we were forced to fight our way through.

During one particular scuffle, Ratigan and I became separated from the other, and I found myself standing back to back with my mortal enemy. I would have laughed at the irony if not surrounded by six other bloodthirsty vampires. Ratigan's true form came out as he fought our adversaries, a snarling, raging monster. I shuddered as I was reminded of the Big Ben incident, and was thankful that this time, he was on our side.

Just as I shot the last guard, I paused to rest, leaning against the wall for support as I panted heavily. "Not bad, Professor," I remarked, half joking. However, I was cut short as a clawed hand wrapped around my throat and I was lifted into the air.

"Ratigan? W-What are you doing?!"

"What the Master commanded me to do," he replied, his voice a low hiss, eyes seeming to glaze over.

I knew it. He _was_ being controlled by Fane.

"You… y-you traitor-!" was all I managed to shout just before a searing pain erupted in my skull.

"Find the others," I heard Ratigan instruct the guards as the world began to fade around me. "And _destroy_ them."

….

I groaned as I finally came to, wincing as my head throbbed with pain. I tried to sit up, but found that I couldn't move very well because my hands were shackled above my head, chaining me to the wall. _Perfect_, I thought disgustedly as my thoughts began to catch up with me.

I should have seen this coming. Why had I ever trusted him? He was a criminal… No, the world's _greatest_ criminal mind, and I should have expected no better. Although… he _was_ being controlled by the Count. Perhaps he couldn't help it. He did tend to lose control of himself when he was angry… in fact, that could very well be how Fane had gotten such a hold over him. Either way, I had trusted him to help us. He was our one hope in stopping Fane. Now that was gone as well.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I surveyed my surroundings and found that I was in what appeared to be an ancient dungeon, smelling of dust and decay. The only light came from the moon as it shone through a small window high up on the wall near the ceiling, and there was another small window on the wooden door. I shivered from the cold, realizing that my overcoat and hat were gone, leaving me only in my shirt, trousers, and work boots. Feeling an eerie sense as if I were being watched, I glanced about hastily and started when I heard chuckling come from one corner of the room.

As two ladies stepped out of the shadows and approached me, I recognized them as being two of the ones who attacked us. One had soft light brown hair that fell in ringlets down her back, and she wore a dark red dress and golden bangles on her wrists. The other, with raven black hair and piercing dark eyes, appeared to be Egyptian, wearing a long white dress accented with gold jewelry.

"Aw, how lost and helpless he looks, Acenith," said the brown haired one, her voice a sultry tone with what sounded like a Romanian accent.

"Yes," replied the other with a smirk, "and so deliciously handsome."

"What did you do with Dawson and the others?" I demanded, pulling at my bonds.

"Don't fret, darling," replied the first, smiling wickedly. "Your little friends will be joining you shortly."

"For now…" the dark haired one replied, kneeling down beside me, "Nadya and I will just have to settle for you." She reached up and caressed my cheek, and I recoiled instantly, turning my head. "Now, now, we'll have none of that," she reprimanded firmly, grabbing my chin and turning my head back to face her.

"Just relax," Nadya said, sitting in front of me, placing her hands on my chest and pressing me firmly against the wall. "You're not going anywhere for a while."

"What do you want?" I asked, feeling very uncomfortable at the closeness.

"_You_."

My eyes widened as she began unbuttoning my shirt. The chains on my wrists rattled as I renewed my struggles. I would never strike out at a lady, but these were no ordinary women. I kicked out at them, but in return was viciously backhanded across the face.

"They always fight in the beginning," Acenith remarked with an amused laugh.

"It wouldn't hurt so badly if you would just give in," said Nadya, tilting my head back forcefully and hovering over my neck.

"N-Never," I hissed through clenched teeth.

"Suit yourself."

I braced myself, but it wasn't enough to prepare me for the pain as her fangs sank into my throat. I let out a hoarse yell, but was silenced as Acenith placed her lips on mine. My eyes widened in shock; I had never kissed anyone other than Amber and then only a handful of times. Ours kisses had been full of love and passion; _this_ kiss was possessive, invading. I tried to turn my head, but let out a muffled yelp of pain as Acenith bit down on my bottom lip, drawing blood. But even that wasn't enough to distract me from the pain on my throat.

"Where… w-where is...Amber?" I stuttered, struggling to form a coherent sentence.

"Don't worry," Acenith replied, trailing a hand down the side of my face. "I'm sure Master Fane is taking _good_ care of her."

I strained against the chains holding me. "Y-You won't get away with- A-ahh…!" I cried out as Nadya dragged her nails down my exposed chest. I shuddered as she ran her tongue across the wounds, licking the blood.

"In case you haven't noticed," Acenith remarked, pulling down my sleeve, "we get _whatever _we want." I tried unsuccessfully to stifle a groan as she bit down on my forearm.

The rest was a blur of pain, with hands roaming across my torso, fingers tangled in my hair, teeth sinking into my flesh and tongues lapping up my spilt blood. A horrible, yet terrifyingly real nightmare.

* * *

**Author's Note: Whew, so sorry it took so long to update. Work and all... Had some trouble with dialogue, but hopefully it worked out ok. **

**And I had WAY too much fun writing that last scene... I'm evil, I know ^^**

**The Great Mouse Detective and characters (c)Eve Titus and Disney**  
**Amber, Fane, Janssen, Damien, Acenith, Nadya, and Maria (c) Me**  
**Please don't use my characters without permission **


	16. Ch 15: Goodbye

Echoes in my Mind

Chapter 15: Goodbye

Once again I found myself waking up in a strange place. It took a minute for me to come to my senses, but I suddenly felt a chill run down my spine as my thoughts began to catch up with me. As the events from last night replayed through my mind, I touched my neck gingerly, feeling the faint marks from where the Count's fangs had pierced my flesh…

I jumped in surprise when a knock sounded on the door before a lady mouse stepped into the room. I gulped nervously as she approached, afraid that she might be another one of Fane's ladies. However, she smiled at me reassuringly before introducing herself.

"Hello Miss Amber," she said in a soft delicate voice. "My name is Maria." No doubt noticing the look of fear in my eyes, she gently took my hand in hers. "Don't be alarmed, dear. I'm a friend."

As she smiled again, I nearly sobbed in relief as I saw that she didn't have fangs. It had been so long since I'd come into contact with a "normal" mouse. She was very beautiful, with lovely auburn hair and deep blue eyes, and wore a pretty light blue day dress with lace at the sleeves and collar.

"Now," she said in a more serious and sympathetic tone, "I know you're frightened, but I've been instructed to assist you in getting ready for… for tonight. Master Fane will be here soon, so we must hurry."

I merely nodded, my heart pounding as my gaze shifted to the window where the last rays of the setting sun filtered through. I didn't know exactly what was going to happen to me, but whatever Fane had planned, it was going to happen soon.

As Maria pulled a dress from the wardrobe, I glanced at the outfit apprehensively. "I'm supposed to wear _that_?" I asked tentatively.

Maria nodded with a sympathetic smile. "Master Fane selected it himself. I'm afraid he does have rather exotic tastes."

Exotic was putting it mildly. But it wasn't until I put the dress on and stared at my reflection in a full length mirror that I realized just what little fabric the outfit was made of. The top served mainly to cover my chest, and the sleeves were pretty much non-existent as they consisted of a sheer fabric draped about my shoulders, and my midriff was exposed through another layer of the sheer cloth. At the least the skirt was long and flowed all the way down to the floor, although there was a large split on the right side that exposed a good bit of my leg when I walked. It also had a short train dragging on the floor behind me. This, coupled with the materiel itself, which was a shimmery white silk, caused the outfit to resemble some sort of erotic wedding dress.

By this point I had begun to tremble slightly, admittedly afraid of what was to come. As Maria fixed a beaded headpiece into my hair, she glanced about furtively before speaking quietly next to my ear. "There's a rumor that the great detective Basil of Baker Street is on his way here. Is that true?"

"Yes, I'm sure he is," I replied, having no doubt that Basil would continue his search for me.

"Then there's still a chance," Maria remarked, her voice straining and eyes brimming with tears. "I'd just about given up hope of ever escaping this place. We all have."

"We?" I asked.

"I'm only one of many that Fane has captured over the years," she replied, a touch of bitterness in her voice. "We're nothing to the vampires except lowly servants… and a food source. It's a living nightmare, this life; trapped in this castle, forced to serve these creatures, separated from our loved ones."

My heart ached for this poor woman and the rest of the unfortunate victims in this castle. What horrors they must have faced…

"At least you have someone looking for you," she added quietly. "It's been five years since I was taken from my fiancé." Maria turned toward the window, tears streaming freely down her face as she clutched her hands over her breaking heart. "Alexander died trying to protect me…"

It was as if lightning had struck my brain. "You're _that_ Maria?" I asked dumbfounded.

"What do you mean?" she asked, turning toward me with a look of confusion.

"Your fiancé was Alexander? Alexander Janssen?"

Maria's eyes widened in shock. "How could you possibly know that?" she whispered breathlessly.

I rushed forward and took her hands in mine, looking her straight in the eyes. "Because I've _seen_ him!" It was all I could do to keep my voice down as my heart raced in excitement. "Basil told me about you! Maria, Alexander didn't die that night. He's alive! All these years he's been searching for you. I bet he's on his way here right now with Basil and Dawson and—"

Before I could go any further the door to the room squeaked open. Ali strode inside gracefully while the other three smirked at me from behind her.

"Time to go, dear," Ali said, beckoning me forward with a sharp claw. "Oh and uh, I suggest you come without a fuss. It would be a shame to ruin that pretty dress."

I looked to Maria frantically, begging her with my eyes not to reveal anything. Her eyes were still wide with shock at the news I had given her and she looked as if she might faint, but she bowed her head reverently to Ali and the others and remained quiet. I gave her hand one last squeeze before walking towards the others.

"Good girl," Ali remarked with a chuckle before shoving me out the door. The other girls grabbed me before I could fall and proceeded to half drag me down the hallway. I glanced behind me, but Maria had either remained behind in the room or just wasn't fast enough to keep up with the vampires.

As we proceeded through the castle to wherever our destination was, I listened to ladies' conversation with interest.

"So you're the doppelganger, eh?" Nadya remarked to me. "At least now we know why Master Fane is so interested in you."

"She's all he's talked about lately," Acenith remarked mockingly. "How she's 'the one,' the one to 'free his true love' and 'break the spell.'"

"I thought _I_ was his true love," Lulu said.

"He loves _all_ of us," Nadya corrected.

"Not as much as _her_, apparently," Acenith sneered, her nails digging into my skin.

"Yes, before _she_ came along," Nadya agreed, "we were most important to him."

"Doesn't he love _us_ anymore?" Lulu asked worriedly.

"Do you idiots even hear yourselves?" Ali growled angrily, moving like lightning to bar the way, her eyes flashing like daggers. "Of course Master Fane loves us! How could you even let such a thought enter your mind after all he's done for us?! If he _ever_ found out that you doubted him for one second..!"

The other ladies shrank back as Ali berated them harshly, their voices overlapping as they began to plead simultaneously while cowering before her.

"W-We never meant it that way, Ali, honest…!"

"O-Of course not! Never…!"

"Please don't tell him…!"

"Just see that it doesn't happen again," Ali threatened before continuing on her way. The other three followed quietly tugging me along with them. However, the silence didn't last long. They quickly changed the subject as we kept walking.

"Did they ever catch the intruders?" Lulu asked curiously.

"Only one," Nadya answered.

"But they can't hide forever," Acenith added reassuringly. "It's only a matter of time before the others are found."

"At least you and I got to have our fun with the one they caught," Nadya chuckled.

"Hey, why wasn't I invited?" Lulu said with a pout.

"Not your type, dear," Nadya said with a wink. "Definitely not the tall, dark, and handsome fellows you like."

"Although he was rather nice, wasn't he?" Acenith remarked with a devious smile.

"Mm, with that adorably messy hair and gorgeous emerald eyes…"

I couldn't stop his name from escaping my lips. "Basil?" I gasped.

"So that's his name," said Acenith with a smirk. "You know, he kept asking about _you_. So concerned for his beloved's safety. He's also rather stubborn fellow. I didn't think he'd ever give up. But don't worry; we took good care of him. Right, Nadya?"

"And he was _delicious_."

As their laughter filled the air, I shuddered in horror to think of what they did to him, what torture he must have been put through…

…..

Soon I was delivered to Fane and left alone with him. I felt my cheeks burning in embarrassment as his dark eyes took in my appearance. To my surprise, he seemed almost speechless.

"_Doamne... Ești frumoasă_," he remarked tenderly, touching a hand to my cheek softly. "You're beautiful."

I dared to glare angrily at him before turning my head away, still furious at him for the whole ordeal. Fane shook his head with a sad smile.

"I know you hate me for this," he remarked quietly, shaking his head with a sad smile. I looked up as he took my hands in both of his and was surprised to hear his voice take on a more quiet, somber tone. "But you must know that I am truly grateful to you," he continued. "Perhaps you can at least take comfort in the fact that your sacrifice will reunite two lost souls. Adrianna and I will finally be together again… and for that, I will be forever in your debt."

My heart began to pound rapidly again. Maybe he was right… in a sort of twisted way. However, his use of the word "sacrifice" terrified me to no end.

"I understand your motives," I said, choosing my words carefully. "I can't even say for sure that I wouldn't do the same thing if I in your position. But do you realize that in order to bring you together, you're tearing me and my…" I wasn't sure what to call him, so I quickly changed the wording. "…Basil and I apart?"

"Ah yes… your precious detective," Fane said with an evil smile. "Unfortunately, he is paying the price for daring to stand against me. But don't fret; he is alive... for now. In fact, I have great plans for him. An intelligent mind such as his could turn out to be incredibly useful, just as the Professor."

"Let me see him," I pleaded, clutching Fane's arm.

"I'm afraid that's out of the question, my dear."

"Please, I-I'll do anything—"

"You have but one purpose," Fane interjected abruptly, "and that will be fulfilled shortly."

"Then give me this one last request!" I shouted angrily, feeling the tears coming. As Fane glared down at me for the outburst, I took a deep breath, shaking as my fists were balled up into fists by my side. As much as I hated this humiliation, I resorted to begging. "Please Fane," I said, my voice quieter this time. "Let me tell him goodbye. Let me see him… o-one last time…"

I felt Fane's sharp claw on my chin as he tilted my face up to look into my eyes. For a moment, it seemed as if his gaze softened. "You really do love him," he remarked quietly.

I merely nodded in response.

After a moment of studying my face, Fane let out a small chuckle. "Adrianna always persuaded me with those same big beautiful brown eyes." He sighed wearily. "Very well, then. Come along. We must make haste."

"Thank you," I sighed before taking his offered arm, surprised and relieved that he actually agreed.

And so, not long after, I found myself being escorted down to the dungeons, a musty disgusting place smelling of dust and decay. As we went down the long hallway, I was horrified to see wide frightened eyes staring at me from behind some of the bars. Were these the victims Maria had told me about?

I didn't have much time to think about it as we suddenly came to a stop at one of the cells.

"Make it quick," Fane ordered sternly as he unlocked the door. "I have waited long enough for this."

I hesitated briefly before peeking around him into the dark cell. However, as soon as I saw the figure propped up against the far wall, I practically sprinted inside and fell to my knees beside him.

"Basil…" I breathed, throwing my arms around him. At first he appeared to be unconscious, but he soon stirred and groaned painfully as he opened his eyes and turned his head to me.

"A-Amber?" he asked weakly. He tried to sit up, but was hindered by the chains, and he winced in pain.

"No, no, no, don't try to move," I instructed, placing my hand behind his head for support. His shirt had been ripped open, and I gasped at the various wounds covering his body. Bite marks on his neck, shoulders, arms, and even his torso, along with long bloody scratches, probably from where their nails had dug into his fur as he struggled in their iron grip. "What have they done to you?" I whispered, embracing him carefully.

"I-I'm alright, darling," he insisted, although he suppressed another groan into my shoulder. I blushed as he looked up and suddenly seemed to notice what I wearing. "Why… why are you dressed like that?" he asked, his own cheeks turning a slight red as he tried not to stare.

"Fane insisted," I answered shyly. "It's for the ritual."

"Ritual?" Basil asked in confusion. I quickly told him about Adrianna, how I was her doppelganger, and that somehow Fane was going to use me to bring her back. When I finished, Basil let out a growl, glaring at Fane and straining against his bonds. "I swear, if you harm one single hair on her head—"

Fane's laughter echoed around the room. "Why on earth would I harm her? She is the key to my plan. I wouldn't dream of making her suffer."

"You're making me suffer by doing this to _him_!" I retorted.

"I'm doing you both a favor by even allowing him to live," Fane reprimanded harshly. But he directed a smirk at Basil. "You will still be together. Granted, she won't know who you are anymore…" I gasped in horror, tightening my arms around Basil waist while he let out a low growl. "But you—and the Professor as well—" he added with a laugh, "can take comfort in the fact that you will be privileged to spend an eternity as her faithful servants."

Basil's eyes widened as Fane's meaning sunk in, and I felt my own horror growing. He was going to change Basil into a vampire and control his every move… just as he did Ratigan.

"Now finish your goodbyes before I change my mind," Fane ordered, the smile disappearing just as quickly as it had appeared.

I turned away from Fane's glare and buried my face into Basil's neck, hearing the rattle of chains as he attempted to reach me. "I'm so sorry, Basil," I whispered, wrapping my arms around him.

"This isn't your fault, Amber," Basil replied softly into my hair. "If anyone should be sorry, it's me." He strained at the shackles binding him to the wall again, grunting as they cut deeper into his skin. "If it weren't for these bloody chains—"

"Don't," I insisted. "You'll hurt yourself worse." I took a shaky breath, unsure of my next words. Tears were brimming in my eyes as I took his face in my hands, our foreheads touching. "There's so much I want to say…" I said quietly, trailing off as a lump formed in my throat.

"Me too," Basil admitted, his own voice shaking slightly. "I wish we had more time—"

"Unfortunately, your time is up," Fane interrupted as he stepped forward and held his hand out to me. "Come along."

I let out a soft cry as I clutched him close to me one more time as our lips met in a kiss; one that was over all too soon. "Goodbye, Basil," I whispered before Fane pulled me off the floor away from him.

"No!" Basil shouted, still trying to reach me with his bound hands. "No, let her go! Fane, you can't do this…! _Amber_!"

I cried softly as the door shut behind us, trembling uncontrollably. If it weren't for Fane's arms wrapped around me, I would have collapsed to the floor. Basil's voice carried after us as we returned down the long hallway and emerged from the dungeons. It was just like what had happened six months ago at Ratigan's castle. Only this time, there was no hope of escape for either one of us.

….…

* * *

**Author's Note: Phew, that was a difficult (and incredibly depressing) chapter...**

**Fane, you gorgeous evil monster -_-**

**I had a hard time describing Amber's dress, so if you want a better idea of what it looks like, I've got a few sketches of it in my deviantART gallery. **

**The Great Mouse Detective and characters (c)Eve Titus and Disney  
Bloody Ali (c)~Cellenia  
Lulu (c)~LuluCalliope  
All other characters and story (c)Me**


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